A person who contaminated candy with sleeping medication and gave them to minors at a summer camp in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys both nine and 10.
The accused was arrested after eight children and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Candy game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he ran.
The defendant conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the defendant had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel said objects including baby oil, Vaseline and injection devices were located, and his stepson notified the police about his suspicions.
She stated the defendant continued to conduct the "sweet game" with six children that night - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the incident.
The prosecutor explained the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to being ill, so the stepson notified the police again.
She said the defendant then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five minors.
