A man who laced candy with sedative and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys aged nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
The man played a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his worries.
She said Ruben continued to engage in the "candy game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
