A person who laced sweets with sedative and gave them to minors at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and one adult experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he was present at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his targets were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to consume candy "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative added: "This year his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, justifiably.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She stated the defendant proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six youngsters that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she added.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The legal representative explained the minors were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member contacted the law enforcement once more.
She stated the man then engaged in the "candy game" in a room of five minors.
