A person who laced sweets with sedative and gave them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention before a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "rapidly".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated materials including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six boys that night - that Saturday - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor said the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities again.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
