An individual who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight children and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his family member had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to engage in the "candy game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that time," she added.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member contacted the authorities a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
