A man who laced treats with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two children aged between nine and ten.
The defendant was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the courthouse on recently.
Yet, he refused to admit a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a nine-year-old boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a further hearing on November 28th.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, outlined Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She stated his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a summer program which he managed.
The man conducted a "candy game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would enter the sleeping quarters when they were preparing to sleep and ask them to consume candy "rapidly".
She told the court the man had played this game with the boys "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "Recently" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the man's possessions."
The prosecutor said objects including infant oil, ointment and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild contacted the authorities about his concerns.
She stated the man went on to engage in the "treat game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Authorities" had not responded by that time," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the events.
The legal representative said the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the family member called the police once more.
She said Ruben then played the "sweet game" in a area of five youngsters.
