An individual who spiked treats with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his worries.
She stated Ruben proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement again.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
