A man who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer program in the region has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained items including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his family member contacted the police about his suspicions.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not responded by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the events.
The prosecutor stated the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.
