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A person who spiked sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a youth camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and ten years old.

The accused was detained after eight minors and an older person experienced illness at the facility in the summer month.

The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he stood at the judicial center on recently.

Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a young boy.

The defendant was held in detention before a subsequent court date on November 28th.

'Sweet game'

Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the judicial body.

She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he operated.

The defendant played a "treat game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to ingest treats "as fast as possible".

She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the children "for many years", and minors had previously fallen ill the next day.

She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.

The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about the situation, justifiably.

"They chose" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."

The legal counsel explained materials including infant oil, ointment and medical needles were located, and his family member notified the law enforcement about his concerns.

She said Ruben proceeded to engage in the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - July 26th - and they were all sick the next day.

"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she added.

The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the events.

The legal representative said the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so Ruben's stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.

She explained the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.