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A man who spiked candy with tranquilliser and provided them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has confessed to sexual offenses against two boys both between nine and ten.

The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at the location in mid-summer.

The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.

Nevertheless, he disputed one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.

Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.

'Candy game'

The legal representative, presenting evidence, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.

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

Ruben engaged in a "candy game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to consume candy "as quickly as they can".

She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and minors had previously become sick the next day.

She stated the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.

Mrs Prior KC added: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.

"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."

The legal counsel said objects including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were found, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his worries.

She stated the man went on to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.

"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that stage," she continued.

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

The legal representative explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the family member called the police once more.

She explained the defendant then played the "candy game" in a room of five minors.