A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the man had been able to explain this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel stated materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the man continued to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The legal representative stated the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the family member called the law enforcement once more.
She stated the defendant then played the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.
