Individual pleads guilty to sexual offenses against boys at summer camp
A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children both nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the location in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were found, and his stepson notified the police about his concerns.
She explained the defendant went on to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member notified the authorities again.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
