An individual who laced candy with sedative and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two young males both nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
However, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.
She explained Ruben went on to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the events.
The prosecutor stated the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the man then played the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
