A person who spiked candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in recently.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, ointment and syringes were located, and his family member notified the police about his worries.
She stated Ruben proceeded to play the "treat game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She explained the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.
