A person who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in Leicestershire has admitted sexual crimes against two boys aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was arrested after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained materials including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were found, and his family member contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the man proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the police a second time.
She explained Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
