An individual who spiked candy with sleeping medication and gave them to children at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was arrested after eight children and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the children, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and request they to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had played this game with the children "for many years", and children had previously become sick the following morning.
She explained the defendant had been able to explain this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They chose" to examine in the defendant's belongings."
The legal counsel said items including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said the man continued to conduct the "treat game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The oversight body, the police conduct office, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the incident.
The prosecutor said the children were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson notified the authorities a second time.
She said the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
