A person who contaminated candy with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The accused was remanded in custody before a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She said Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel explained materials including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his family member alerted the police about his concerns.
She stated the defendant went on to play the "candy game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She said the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
