An individual who laced candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to youngsters at a summer camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys both between nine and ten.
The accused was arrested after eight children and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, admitted guilt to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
The man played a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She told the court the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to investigate in the man's possessions."
Mrs Prior KC stated objects including infant oil, ointment and injection devices were found, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.
She stated the defendant continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing the police response of the incident.
The legal representative explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five children.
