A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children aged nine and 10.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were found, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant continued to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
The legal representative explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities again.
She said the defendant then played the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
