A man who spiked sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and 10.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he managed.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.
She stated Ruben had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated items including baby oil, ointment and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the police about his worries.
She explained the man went on to play the "treat game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the authorities once more.
She explained the man then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
