A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and an older person became sick at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he operated.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his family member alerted the authorities about his worries.
She said Ruben continued to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the minors were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five minors.
