A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offenses against two boys aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was arrested after eight minors and an older person experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the boys "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said objects including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his family member notified the police about his concerns.
She explained the man continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior said the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the family member called the authorities again.
She explained the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
