A man who laced sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She stated his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The man conducted a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to investigate in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She stated the man then played the "treat game" in a area of five minors.
