An individual who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to children at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his family member had concerns about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated materials including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She stated the man proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member called the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
