An individual who contaminated treats with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and one adult became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the boys "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor explained objects including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She stated the man continued to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a space of five minors.
