A person who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight children and one adult became sick at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the following morning.
She stated the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his family member had concerns about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated Ruben proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.
The legal representative said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the police once more.
She explained the man then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
