A man who laced candy with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person became sick at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court Ruben had played this game with the young males "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were located, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She explained the defendant continued to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The legal representative said the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the family member notified the authorities once more.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
