A man who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offences against two children both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight minors and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, outlined the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a youth camp which he managed.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated the man continued to play the "candy game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the police again.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a space of five minors.
