A man who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males who were nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight children and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepchild had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant continued to conduct the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
The legal representative explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
