A man who laced candy with sedative and provided them to children at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offences against two boys both nine and 10.
The accused was detained after eight minors and an older person experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a further hearing on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he operated.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the children "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had concerns in summer 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepson had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said objects including infant oil, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben went on to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was investigating the police response of the events.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson called the authorities once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
