A man who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the region has confessed to sexual offences against two boys both nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight youngsters and one adult experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The senior citizen, from that region, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on late November.
'Treat game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer program which he ran.
The man played a "candy game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the following morning.
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.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated materials including lubricant, ointment and syringes were located, and his family member alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained the defendant went on to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, previously told that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the situation.
Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She stated Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
