A person who laced treats with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual offences against two children aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight minors and one adult fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody prior to a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben played a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel explained, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said Ruben had been able to explain this over a long period as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "Recently" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said materials including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were located, and his family member alerted the authorities about his worries.
She explained the man continued to conduct the "treat game" with six boys that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The prosecutor said the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member notified the police once more.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
