A person who laced candy with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in the area has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two young males aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight youngsters and an older person experienced illness at Stathern Lodge in July.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The defendant was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She explained his victims were disadvantaged youngsters who were attending a summer camp which he ran.
The man engaged in a "treat game" with the children, the legal counsel stated, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as fast as possible".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "for many years", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She stated the man had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had worries in summer 2025.
The legal representative added: "Recently" his stepchild had worries about the situation, for good reason.
"They decided to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor said items including baby oil, Vaseline and syringes were discovered, and his family member notified the authorities about his concerns.
She explained the man continued to conduct the "candy game" with six boys that evening - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that stage," she continued.
The police watchdog, the investigative body, had stated that it was examining the police response of the events.
Mrs Prior said the children were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the police again.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five children.
