A man who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two children both nine and 10.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in July.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in recently.
The legal representative added: "This year his family member had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said items including baby oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She explained Ruben then played the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
