An individual who laced sweets with sedative and gave them to children at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual crimes against two children aged nine and 10.
The defendant was arrested after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in July.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel explained items including lubricant, ointment and syringes were found, and his family member alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She explained Ruben continued to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor said the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson notified the police again.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
