An individual who contaminated sweets with sleeping medication and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against two boys who were nine and 10.
The defendant was detained after eight children and an older person fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the judicial center on the end of the week.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a subsequent court date on November 28th.
'Sweet game'
The prosecutor, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the court.
She said his those affected were under-privileged children who were attending a summer program which he managed.
The defendant played a "sweet game" with the minors, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "rapidly".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the subsequent day.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his family member had worries in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC stated further: "Recently" his stepson had concerns about the activities, with valid cause.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The prosecutor stated objects including lubricant, Vaseline and injection devices were located, and his stepson notified the law enforcement about his concerns.
She stated the man proceeded to engage in the "sweet game" with six children that evening - that Saturday - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"Law enforcement" had not responded by that point," she added.
The regulatory agency, the investigative body, earlier informed that it was investigating law enforcement's management of the events.
Mrs Prior explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson called the police a second time.
She said the man then conducted the "treat game" in a area of five children.
