A man who spiked candy with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a summer program in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult fell ill at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from the Nottinghamshire area, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the courthouse 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 before a subsequent court date on late November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his those affected were under-privileged children who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man conducted a "treat game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had worries in recently.
The prosecutor stated further: "This year his stepson had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his family member contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She stated the man went on to conduct the "treat game" with six youngsters that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that time," she added.
The oversight body, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the situation.
Mrs Prior explained the children were unable to walk properly due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement once more.
She said the man then engaged in the "treat game" in a room of five minors.
