A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and provided them to children at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offenses against two children who were between nine and ten.
The defendant was arrested after eight youngsters and a grown-up became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the judicial center on Friday.
However, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was against a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was held in detention ahead of a further hearing on November 28th.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, handling the case, detailed the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She said his victims were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer program which he operated.
The man engaged in a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the legal counsel explained, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were preparing to sleep and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She told the court Ruben had conducted this practice with the young males "repeatedly", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.
She said Ruben had been capable of justifying this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepson had concerns in summer 2025.
The prosecutor added: "In the summer" his stepchild had concerns about the activities, for good reason.
"They resolved" to investigate in the individual's items."
The legal counsel stated objects including baby oil, ointment and injection devices were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She explained Ruben proceeded to engage in the "candy game" with six children that evening - July 26th - and they were everyone unwell the next day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she continued.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, previously told that it was examining the police response of the events.
The prosecutor explained the children were having difficulty walking due to their condition, so the stepson contacted the police once more.
She said Ruben then conducted the "candy game" in a area of five youngsters.
