A person who contaminated sweets with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor explained, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the man had been able to explain this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained materials including infant oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were located, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said the defendant continued to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the authorities once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a space of five children.
