A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two children aged nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant conducted a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had concerns in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his family member had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said materials including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were located, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She stated the man continued to play the "treat game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The legal representative stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the family member contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She said the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
