A person who laced sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he operated.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his family member had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained objects including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his family member alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant continued to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
The legal representative explained the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the police again.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
