An individual who spiked treats with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the man had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepchild had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were found, and his stepson alerted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson called the authorities again.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
