A person who spiked sweets with sedative and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two children both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, outlined the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he managed.
The man played a "treat game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "This year his family member had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel explained materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.
She said the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities once more.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
