An individual who contaminated treats with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children who were nine and 10.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained materials including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the man proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson called the police a second time.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
