Man confesses to sexual crimes targeting children at summer program
A man who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual crimes against two children both nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer program which he operated.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his family member alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the defendant continued to play the "candy game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the police again.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
