🔗 Share this article

A man who spiked sweets with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.

The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.

The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.

Nevertheless, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.

Ruben was held in detention prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.

'Treat game'

Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.

She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he operated.

Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".

She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.

She stated the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.

Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.

"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."

Mrs Prior KC explained items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his worries.

She said Ruben went on to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.

"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.

The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.

The prosecutor said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the police once more.

She stated the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.