A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer program in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children who were nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at the location in July.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his family member contacted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated Ruben proceeded to play the "candy game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson notified the police a second time.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
