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A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males aged between nine and ten.

The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at the location in the summer month.

The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.

However, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.

The accused was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.

'Treat game'

Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.

She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he ran.

The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "as fast as possible".

She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.

She said the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in July 2025.

The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, justifiably.

"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."

The prosecutor explained items including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were found, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.

She said the man continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.

"The police had not arrived by that point," she continued.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.

The prosecutor said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement again.

She explained Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.