A person who laced treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a youth camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said Ruben went on to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five minors.
