An individual who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children both nine and 10.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention before a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel explained items including baby oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor said the minors were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson notified the authorities again.
She said the defendant then played the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
