🔗 Share this article

A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys both nine and ten years old.

The defendant was taken into custody after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the location in mid-summer.

The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on recently.

Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.

The accused was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.

'Treat game'

The prosecutor, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the judicial body.

She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.

Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "rapidly".

She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.

She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.

The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.

"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."

The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were found, and his stepson alerted the police about his suspicions.

She explained Ruben went on to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.

"Authorities" had not responded by that time," she added.

The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the events.

The prosecutor explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson called the police a second time.

She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.