A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a young boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he managed.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepchild notified the police about his concerns.
She explained Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement again.
She stated the man then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
