A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two children who were between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his those affected were under-privileged children who were attending a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepson had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said materials including baby oil, ointment and medical needles were located, and his stepson alerted the police about his concerns.
She said Ruben proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the police a second time.
She said Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
