An individual who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at the location in the summer month.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She stated his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the minors, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said items including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his concerns.
She stated the defendant continued to play the "candy game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
