An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his those affected were under-privileged children who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated items including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepson notified the authorities about his concerns.
She stated the defendant proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She said the man then conducted the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
