A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer program in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two children both between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the location in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a further hearing on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his stepchild had worries about the situation, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC stated materials including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the man proceeded to engage in the "sweet game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement again.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
