Man pleads guilty to sexual crimes against young males at youth camp
A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two young males who were nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at the facility in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the boys "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained items including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She said Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five minors.
