An individual who contaminated treats with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight minors and an older person fell ill at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a further hearing on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, prosecuting, described the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The legal representative added: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about the activities, with valid cause.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said materials including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said Ruben continued to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that time - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the incident.
The prosecutor said the minors were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the authorities again.
She said the man then played the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
