An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he managed.
Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said materials including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were located, and his stepson contacted the police about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant went on to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the police a second time.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five children.
