A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer program in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two children both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been able to explain this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his family member had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained objects including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said Ruben continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
