An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two children who were between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was held in detention before a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson notified the authorities about his concerns.
She said Ruben went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not responded by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the events.
The legal representative said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement again.
She stated the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five children.
