An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys aged between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, described the criminal behavior to the court.
She stated his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had engaged in this activity with the boys "for many years", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, ointment and syringes were found, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She said Ruben went on to play the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities a second time.
She stated Ruben then played the "treat game" in a area of five children.
