A man who contaminated candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys both nine and 10.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member called the authorities again.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "candy game" in a space of five children.
