A person who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were found, and his stepchild notified the authorities about his worries.
She explained Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the police once more.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
