A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "for many years", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his family member contacted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the family member called the authorities a second time.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
