A person who laced sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys who were between nine and ten.
The accused was taken into custody after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "for many years", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had worries about the activities, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said items including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the man continued to play the "sweet game" with six boys that time - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor explained the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement once more.
She stated Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.