🔗 Share this article Individual admits sex offences targeting young males at summer program The accused pleaded guilty to 17 offences at the judicial center on Friday A man who laced candy with sedative and distributed them to children at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys both between nine and ten. The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in the summer month. The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday. However, he denied a single sexual charge 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' Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the court. She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer program which he managed. Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to ingest treats "rapidly". She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day. She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025. Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about the situation, justifiably. "They decided to examine in the individual's items." The legal counsel said materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his concerns. She stated the defendant went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day. "Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she added. The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the incident. Mrs Prior explained the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson contacted the authorities again. She explained the man then conducted the "treat game" in a space of five minors.