A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the location in July.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a further hearing on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer program which he operated.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and request they to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
The legal representative added: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor explained items including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the defendant proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement again.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five minors.
