An individual who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The man conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and request they to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were located, and his family member contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the defendant proceeded to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the children were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
