An individual who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males who were nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight children and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the activities, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She explained the man continued to play the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member notified the police once more.
She stated the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
