A man who contaminated treats with tranquilliser and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual crimes against two children aged nine and 10.
The defendant was arrested after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he stood at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail prior to a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, described the defendant's actions to the judicial body.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a youth camp which he ran.
The man conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She stated to the judge the man had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his stepson had worries about what was going on, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor stated objects including baby oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the authorities about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six boys that time - that Saturday - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not responded by that point," she stated further.
The oversight body, the investigative body, had stated that it was investigating Leicestershire Police's handling of the events.
The prosecutor stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their condition, so the stepson notified the authorities again.
She explained the man then conducted the "sweet game" in a space of five youngsters.
