A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and request they to ingest treats "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She stated the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said items including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson contacted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the defendant proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the law enforcement once more.
She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
