A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and 10.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his stepchild had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said materials including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant proceeded to play the "candy game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not responded by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson called the police again.
She stated the man then conducted the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.
