A person who spiked treats with tranquilliser and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight minors and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
Yet, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a additional proceeding on late November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and ask them to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, ointment and syringes were located, and his stepchild notified the authorities about his worries.
She explained Ruben continued to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
The legal representative explained the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member contacted the authorities once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five children.
