A person who laced candy with tranquilliser and provided them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two children both between nine and ten.
The defendant was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in July.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he managed.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his family member notified the police about his worries.
She stated the man went on to engage in the "candy game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the authorities again.
She explained Ruben then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
