A person who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said items including baby oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his family member notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the man went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
