A person who contaminated sweets with sedative and provided them to children at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She stated his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She said the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepson had concerns about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his family member contacted the law enforcement about his worries.
She explained Ruben continued to engage in the "candy game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The prosecutor said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the stepson notified the police a second time.
She stated the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
