An individual who laced sweets with tranquilliser and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual offences against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was taken into custody after eight children and an older person fell ill at Stathern Lodge in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Yet, he disputed a single sexual charge he was accused of, which was against a young boy.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a subsequent court date on late November.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were participating in a youth camp which he managed.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court the defendant had engaged in this activity with the boys "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously fallen ill the following morning.
She stated the defendant had been capable of justifying this over a long period as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had suspicions in July 2025.
The prosecutor added: "This year his family member had worries about the activities, for good reason.
"They chose" to examine in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated items including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his family member contacted the authorities about his suspicions.
She explained Ruben proceeded to play the "treat game" with six boys that time - Saturday 26 July - and they were all sick the subsequent day.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, previously told that it was investigating the police response of the situation.
The legal representative said the minors were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the law enforcement a second time.
She stated the defendant then conducted the "treat game" in a room of five children.
