An individual who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two young males who were between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the location in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he operated.
The man played a "treat game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had worries in July 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They chose" to have a look in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his stepson contacted the police about his suspicions.
She said the man proceeded to play the "treat game" with six boys that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that time," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson notified the law enforcement once more.
She said the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
