A person who spiked candy with tranquilliser and gave them to youngsters at a summer program in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She stated his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained objects including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.
She said Ruben proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson called the authorities a second time.
She said the man then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
