An individual who spiked treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to consume candy "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the boys "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the authorities about his worries.
She explained the man proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five children.
