A person who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Nevertheless, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She explained Ruben had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel stated items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his worries.
She said the man proceeded to play the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the authorities a second time.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
