A person who spiked candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males aged between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and a grown-up became sick at the location in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on late November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his those affected were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "This year his family member had concerns about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his family member notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained the man proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six children that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the children were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She explained Ruben then played the "treat game" in a room of five children.
