Man confesses to sexual offenses against young males at summer camp
A person who contaminated treats with sleeping medication and provided them to minors at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight children and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he stood at Leicester Crown Court on the end of the week.
Yet, he denied one particular crime he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the man had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative continued: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC stated items including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his family member alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said the man went on to conduct the "treat game" with six children that night - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
The legal representative explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the authorities again.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
