An individual who laced candy with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two boys aged nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the authorities about his concerns.
She said Ruben proceeded to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member contacted the authorities a second time.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
