An individual who laced treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was remanded in custody ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The legal representative added: "This year his stepson had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated the man continued to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson called the police a second time.
She stated the man then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
