An individual who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two children both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight children and an older person became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been able to explain this for many years as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained materials including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were found, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated Ruben went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the children were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the authorities once more.
She explained Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
