A man who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two children aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight children and an older person became sick at the facility in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
However, he denied one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The accused was held in detention prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepson had concerns about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She explained Ruben went on to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the police again.
She stated the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five children.
