Man pleads guilty to sexual offenses targeting children at summer camp
An individual who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel stated objects including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said Ruben went on to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement once more.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
