A person who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to minors at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two children who were nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight minors and an older person experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody before a further hearing on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the young males "for many years", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained the man had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated objects including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were found, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She stated the defendant continued to play the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that stage," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the authorities once more.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five children.
