An individual who contaminated candy with sedative and gave them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children both between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his stepchild notified the police about his worries.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not responded by that stage," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
