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An individual who laced candy with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.

The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at the facility in mid-summer.

The elderly man, 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.

Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was involving a nine-year-old child.

The defendant was held in detention ahead of a additional proceeding on 28 November.

'Treat game'

The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the legal proceedings.

She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were attending a youth camp which he ran.

The man conducted a "candy game" with the children, the prosecutor stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".

She told the court Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.

She said the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his family member had concerns in recently.

The prosecutor continued: "Recently" his stepson had worries about the activities, justifiably.

"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."

The prosecutor explained materials including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his family member notified the authorities about his concerns.

She stated the defendant went on to play the "candy game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the subsequent day.

"The police had not responded by that time," she added.

The police watchdog, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the incident.

Mrs Prior said the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson notified the authorities once more.

She explained the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five children.