A man who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and 10.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at the location in July.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the court.
She stated his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
The man played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his family member had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor explained materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were located, and his stepson contacted the authorities about his worries.
She said the defendant continued to play the "sweet game" with six youngsters that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement again.
She said the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five children.
