A person who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the boys "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained the man had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about the situation, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said items including baby oil, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the defendant proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
The legal representative said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the family member called the police a second time.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
