A man who laced candy with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two children aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She stated his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he operated.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the children "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his family member had worries about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated materials including lubricant, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated Ruben went on to play the "treat game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the police a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
