A person who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males who were between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
The legal counsel explained items including baby oil, ointment and medical needles were found, and his family member contacted the authorities about his worries.
She said the man continued to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities a second time.
She said the man then played the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
