A person who laced sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his those affected were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his suspicions.
She said the man continued to engage in the "treat game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson notified the police a second time.
She explained the defendant then played the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
