An individual who contaminated sweets with sedative and provided them to children at a youth camp in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two boys aged nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight minors and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he was present at the judicial center on recently.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a nine-year-old child.
The accused was held in detention before a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Treat game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, outlined Ruben's offending to the court.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "treat game" with the children, the prosecutor said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to ingest treats "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the children "over an extended period", and minors had previously fallen ill the subsequent day.
She explained Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the situation, for good reason.
"They chose" to investigate in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC explained items including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were found, and his family member alerted the police about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben proceeded to engage in the "sweet game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"Authorities" had not arrived by that time," she continued.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the situation.
The prosecutor stated the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She said Ruben then engaged in the "treat game" in a area of five youngsters.
