An individual who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his family member had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his stepson contacted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the man continued to play the "sweet game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not responded by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the authorities again.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
