A person who spiked sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to youngsters at a summer program in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.
Yet, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had worries in recently.
The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said items including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the police about his concerns.
She said the man continued to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the minors were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the family member notified the law enforcement a second time.
She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
