A person who laced treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a young boy.
The accused was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel stated objects including infant oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his family member contacted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the man went on to engage in the "candy game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the events.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
