A man who laced treats with sedative and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two boys who were nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on recently.
However, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a youth camp which he operated.
The man played a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had concerns in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "This year his stepson had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She said the man continued to play the "sweet game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson notified the police a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
