A person who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his family member notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the defendant proceeded to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior stated the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the authorities again.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
