A person who laced sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two children aged nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had concerns in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "This year his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including baby oil, ointment and medical needles were located, and his family member alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She said the man continued to play the "treat game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The legal representative said the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson notified the police once more.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
