A person who spiked treats with sedative and gave them to children at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight children and one adult fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on November 28th.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the children "over an extended period", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She said the defendant had been able to explain this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had concerns in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his family member notified the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant proceeded to engage in the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not arrived by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the incident.
The legal representative said the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the police once more.
She said the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a area of five children.
