A man who contaminated sweets with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males who were nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his family member had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his concerns.
She said the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
The legal representative stated the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the authorities once more.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
