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A person who contaminated candy with tranquilliser and gave them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offences against two children both nine and 10.

The accused was detained after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.

The senior citizen, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.

However, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.

The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on November 28th.

'Sweet game'

The legal representative, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.

She explained his those affected were disadvantaged youngsters who were participating in a summer program which he managed.

The defendant conducted a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".

She told the court the man had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.

She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in recently.

The prosecutor continued: "In the summer" his stepson had concerns about the activities, justifiably.

"They decided to examine in the individual's items."

The legal counsel stated objects including baby oil, ointment and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his concerns.

She said the defendant went on to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.

"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she continued.

The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the events.

The prosecutor said the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the police a second time.

She explained the man then played the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.