A person who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in the region has confessed to sexual crimes against two boys who were between nine and ten.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
However, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he managed.
The defendant conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The legal representative continued: "In the summer" his stepson had concerns about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated items including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She said Ruben continued to play the "treat game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she continued.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The legal representative explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the man then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
