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A man who spiked treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.

The defendant was arrested after eight minors and an older person became sick at the location in the summer month.

The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.

However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.

The defendant was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.

'Treat game'

The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.

She stated his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he managed.

The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".

She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.

She stated Ruben had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.

The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about what was going on, for good reason.

"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."

Mrs Prior KC stated items including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his stepchild contacted the police about his suspicions.

She said the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the next day.

"The police had not arrived by that time," she continued.

The police watchdog, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.

Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the authorities a second time.

She explained the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.