A person who laced candy with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight children and an older person became sick at the location in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed Ruben's offending to the court.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the defendant had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had previously become sick the following morning.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were found, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She stated the man continued to engage in the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the family member called the authorities once more.
She stated the defendant then played the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
