🔗 Share this article

An individual who laced candy with tranquilliser and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two children aged between nine and ten.

The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.

The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.

However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a young boy.

Ruben was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.

'Candy game'

Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.

She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.

The man played a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".

She stated to the judge Ruben had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.

She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025.

The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had worries about the situation, for good reason.

"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."

The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, ointment and syringes were found, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his concerns.

She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.

"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she added.

The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.

The prosecutor said the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson notified the authorities a second time.

She stated the man then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five minors.