A person who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at the location in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on recently.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his family member alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said Ruben proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"The police had not responded by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the events.
The legal representative said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police once more.
She said the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a space of five youngsters.
