A man who spiked sweets with sedative and distributed them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his family member contacted the police about his concerns.
She said the man continued to conduct the "candy game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson called the authorities a second time.
She said the man then played the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
