An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to minors at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offences against two children who were nine and ten years old.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
The defendant was held in detention before a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, presenting evidence, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She stated his targets were disadvantaged youngsters who were staying at a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "candy game" with the minors, the prosecutor said, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and ask them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She told the court the man had played this game with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She explained the defendant had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had worries in July 2025.
The legal representative continued: "This year his stepson had suspicions about what was going on, with valid cause.
"They decided to have a look in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including baby oil, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said the man went on to conduct the "treat game" with six children that time - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not arrived by that time," she stated further.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the minors were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five children.
