A man who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offenses 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 facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was charged with, which was involving a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his family member had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepson alerted the police about his worries.
She explained Ruben proceeded to engage in the "treat game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the police once more.
She explained the defendant then played the "candy game" in a room of five children.
