A man who spiked candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight children and an older person experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was held in detention prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer program which he managed.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge Ruben had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including lubricant, ointment and injection devices were found, and his stepson contacted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to engage in the "candy game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The legal representative said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the authorities once more.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
