Man pleads guilty to sex offences involving children at summer camp
A man who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two children aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and one adult became sick at the location in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "In the summer" his stepson had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated Ruben continued to play the "sweet game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five youngsters.
