An individual who laced candy with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The man played a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative added: "This year his stepson had concerns about the situation, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepson notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated Ruben continued to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior said the minors were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the family member contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five children.
