A person who spiked candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males both nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, ointment and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the man proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six children that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the events.
The legal representative stated the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the police once more.
She said the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
