An individual who laced sweets with sedative and gave them to children at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males both nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer program which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor 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 told the court the man had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his family member had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson contacted the police about his worries.
She said Ruben went on to play the "treat game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She stated Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five children.
