A man who laced treats with sedative and provided them to children at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his family member had worries about the situation, with valid cause.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained items including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing the police response of the events.
The legal representative said the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so the family member called the police a second time.
She explained Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a space of five children.
