A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The accused was detained after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and request they to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative added: "This year his stepchild had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained objects including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she added.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
Mrs Prior stated the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She said Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five children.
