A person who spiked candy with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody prior to a further hearing on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in July 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated the man went on to play the "treat game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
