An individual who laced sweets with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offenses against two young males both nine and 10.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention before a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She explained the man continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the children were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the family member contacted the police again.
She stated the man then played the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
