An individual who spiked candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on recently.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he operated.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the man went on to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
Mrs Prior said the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
