A man who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two boys both nine and ten years old.
The accused was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at the location in July.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer camp which he operated.
The defendant played a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".
She stated to the judge the man had conducted this practice with the young males "for many years", and children had previously become sick the next day.
She said the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in summer 2025.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They resolved" to examine in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel stated objects including infant oil, Vaseline and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.
She said the man went on to engage in the "treat game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson called the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then engaged in the "candy game" in a area of five minors.
