An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his concerns.
She explained the man proceeded to engage in the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the minors were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police once more.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
