A person who laced candy with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.
Ruben was held in detention before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he operated.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the man had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to play the "sweet game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the man then played the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
