An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She stated his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he operated.
The man played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC stated materials including baby oil, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She stated Ruben continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five children.
