A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two boys who were between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The man conducted a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said items including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said Ruben went on to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She said the man then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.