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An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has admitted sexual offenses against two young males both nine and 10.

The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.

The senior citizen, from that region, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.

Yet, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was accused of, which was involving a young boy.

Ruben was kept in jail before a further hearing on 28 November.

'Treat game'

Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, described the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.

She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer program which he operated.

Ruben engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, the legal counsel said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "as quickly as they can".

She stated to the judge Ruben had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.

She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the youngsters being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.

The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about what was going on, with valid cause.

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

Mrs Prior KC said items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild notified the police about his concerns.

She said Ruben continued to conduct the "candy game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.

"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she stated further.

The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was reviewing Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.

Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson called the police once more.

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