A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was held in detention before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had concerns in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were located, and his family member contacted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the man went on to play the "candy game" with six children that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She said the man then played the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
