An individual who laced candy with sedative and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two young males both nine and 10.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his family member had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor explained materials including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were located, and his family member alerted the police about his concerns.
She said the man continued to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the police once more.
She said the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
