A man who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the location in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the children "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She explained the defendant proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The legal representative said the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
