A person who spiked treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center 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 kept in jail before a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The man played a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior said the minors were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five children.
