A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on recently.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had worries in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel explained items including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She explained Ruben went on to play the "sweet game" with six boys that night - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not responded by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the police a second time.
She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a area of five children.
