A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offenses 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 location in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he managed.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his family member had worries about the situation, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated items including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were located, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
