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A man who spiked sweets with sedative and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two young males both nine and 10.

The defendant was detained after eight children and an older person became sick at the facility in July.

The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.

However, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was charged with, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.

The defendant was held in detention prior to a further hearing on November 28th.

'Treat game'

The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.

She said his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.

The defendant engaged in a "treat game" with the minors, the prosecutor stated, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to ingest treats "as quickly as they can".

She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the children "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the subsequent day.

She said the man had been able to explain this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in recently.

Mrs Prior KC stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had concerns about the situation, justifiably.

"They decided to have a look in the individual's items."

The legal counsel said materials including baby oil, petroleum jelly and injection devices were discovered, and his stepson alerted the authorities about his worries.

She said the defendant proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.

"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she stated further.

The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.

The prosecutor stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member contacted the police once more.

She explained the man then played the "candy game" in a space of five youngsters.