A man who laced candy with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "over an extended period", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She stated the defendant had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She explained Ruben proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all sick the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson notified the police a second time.
She said Ruben then conducted the "treat game" in a area of five minors.
