A man who contaminated candy with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two children both between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he managed.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to ingest treats "rapidly".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They decided to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor explained objects including infant oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his worries.
She stated the defendant continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities a second time.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a space of five children.
