Individual pleads guilty to sex offences against young males at youth camp

An individual who spiked candy with sedative and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and 10.

The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in the summer month.

The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.

Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.

The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.

'Candy game'

The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the judicial body.

She stated his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he ran.

Ruben played a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".

She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.

She said the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had concerns in summer 2025.

The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.

"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."

The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.

She stated the defendant proceeded to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.

"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.

The oversight body, the police conduct office, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.

The prosecutor said the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member called the authorities once more.

She said the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five children.