A man who laced treats with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys aged between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his family member had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his concerns.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The legal representative said the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the authorities once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
