A man who laced treats with sedative and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two children both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight youngsters and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The senior citizen, from that region, confessed to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
Ruben was kept in jail ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The legal representative, handling the case, described Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he managed.
The man engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and request they to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this for many years as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had concerns in recently.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his family member had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained materials including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepson notified the authorities about his worries.
She stated Ruben went on to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining the police response of the incident.
The legal representative explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the police a second time.
She explained the man then played the "treat game" in a space of five children.
