A person who spiked treats with sedative and provided them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children who were between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.
However, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel explained objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his family member contacted the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated Ruben went on to play the "treat game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the family member contacted the police a second time.
She stated the man then conducted the "treat game" in a space of five youngsters.
