A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a summer camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight minors and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next 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 continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained materials including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were found, and his stepchild notified the police about his concerns.
She stated the defendant went on to engage in the "treat game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement once more.
She said the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
