An individual who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual crimes against two young males both nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
Ruben played a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated items including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the man continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the police again.
She said the defendant then played the "treat game" in a area of five children.
