A person who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two boys both between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his stepson had concerns about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She said the defendant went on to engage in the "treat game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
