A man who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight minors and one adult became sick at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
The accused was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC explained materials including infant oil, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant continued to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the minors were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
