A person who laced sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
Yet, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated materials including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his family member notified the police about his worries.
She stated the man proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The legal representative said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the family member called the authorities a second time.
She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
