A man who contaminated candy with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on recently.
Nevertheless, he denied one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel explained objects including infant oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She said the man went on to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor stated the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She explained Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
