An individual who spiked candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and minors had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his family member had worries about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the police about his worries.
She stated the defendant continued to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the police a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
