A man who laced 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 nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight minors and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated objects including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to play the "candy game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson contacted the authorities again.
She explained the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
