A person who laced sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the defendant went on to play the "candy game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior said the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member called the law enforcement once more.
She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.
