An individual who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the judicial center on the end of the week.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were located, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said Ruben proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the law enforcement once more.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
