A man who laced candy with sedative and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the region has admitted sexual crimes against two young males aged nine and ten years old.
The defendant was detained after eight children and one adult became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The elderly man, from that region, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one of the sexual offences he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.
The accused was kept in jail ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Treat game'
Mary Prior KC, presenting evidence, detailed the criminal behavior to the judicial body.
She explained his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a summer camp which he operated.
Ruben engaged in a "treat game" with the children, Mrs Prior explained, in which he would access the sleeping quarters when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She stated to the judge the man had engaged in this activity with the boys "for many years", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the minors being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his family member had suspicions in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his family member had worries about what was going on, for good reason.
"They decided to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
Mrs Prior KC said materials including infant oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepchild notified the law enforcement about his worries.
She said the defendant went on to play the "treat game" with six children that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that time," she added.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.
The prosecutor explained the children were struggling to walk due to their condition, so Ruben's stepson contacted the authorities once more.
She said the man then conducted the "treat game" in a area of five children.
