A person who spiked treats with tranquilliser and gave them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She explained the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor explained objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepson contacted the police about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson called the authorities a second time.
She stated the defendant then played the "treat game" in a space of five minors.
