A man who spiked treats with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer program in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "This year his family member had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated the defendant continued to play the "treat game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the authorities once more.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
