An individual who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court Ruben had played this game with the children "for many years", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about the situation, with valid cause.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said items including infant oil, ointment and syringes were found, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the man went on to play the "candy game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member contacted the authorities a second time.
She said the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
