A man who laced treats with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he operated.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the minors, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were found, and his stepson notified the authorities about his concerns.
She said Ruben proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She said the man then conducted the "candy game" in a space of five children.
