An individual who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has admitted sexual crimes against two young males who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and one adult fell ill at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he managed.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative stated further: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were located, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated the man continued to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that night - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
The legal representative stated the children were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson notified the police again.
She stated the man then conducted the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
