A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two children aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She stated his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had concerns in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "This year his stepson had worries about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel explained materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said the man went on to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
