A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys who were nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the prosecutor explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated Ruben went on to play the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member called the authorities a second time.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five children.
