A person who spiked candy with sedative and distributed them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "for many years", and children had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated materials including baby oil, ointment and syringes were located, and his stepson contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the man proceeded to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
The legal representative explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities a second time.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five minors.
