A man who spiked treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two young males both nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight minors and a grown-up experienced illness at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody ahead of a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
The man conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "repeatedly", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had concerns in recently.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepson had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC said items including lubricant, ointment and medical needles were located, and his stepson notified the authorities about his worries.
She said the man proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
The legal representative explained the minors were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the authorities again.
She explained the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
