A person who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She said the defendant proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The legal representative explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five minors.
