An individual who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males who were between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from that region, 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 kept in jail prior to a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and request they to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the children "for many years", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his stepson had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben went on to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the police once more.
She explained Ruben then played the "candy game" in a room of five youngsters.
