A person who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight children and an older person became sick at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had concerns about the activities, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were located, and his stepchild notified the police about his concerns.
She stated the man continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She stated the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
