An individual who laced treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys both between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated objects including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his concerns.
She said the man continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a space of five children.
