A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children who were between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer program which he ran.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had concerns in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his family member alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She said the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
