A person who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to children at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys both between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor added: "This year his stepson had concerns about the situation, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were found, and his stepson alerted the police about his concerns.
She said the man continued to play the "sweet game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
The legal representative stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She said the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a space of five children.
