Man admits sexual crimes targeting young males at summer camp
A person who spiked candy with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail before a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the next day.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "This year his stepson had concerns about the situation, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were found, and his family member alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben went on to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
The legal representative explained the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "treat game" in a space of five children.
