A man who spiked candy with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The accused was held in detention prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had concerns in July 2025.
The legal representative added: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The legal representative stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the police once more.
She said the defendant then played the "candy game" in a area of five children.
