A person who laced sweets with sedative and provided them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at the location in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was remanded in custody before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including lubricant, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his concerns.
She explained the defendant went on to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior stated the minors were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement a second time.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
