🔗 Share this article

An individual who laced candy with tranquilliser and distributed them to children at a summer program in the area has admitted sexual crimes against two children aged nine and ten years old.

The defendant was arrested after eight children and an older person became sick at Stathern Lodge in the summer month.

The 76-year-old, from that region, admitted guilt to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the courthouse on the end of the week.

Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was charged with, which was involving a young boy.

The defendant was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on late November.

'Treat game'

The prosecutor, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the court.

She explained his victims were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he managed.

The man played a "treat game" with the minors, Mrs Prior stated, in which he would go into the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and request they to ingest treats "as fast as possible".

She informed the proceedings the man had conducted this practice with the boys "for many years", and children had previously fallen ill the next day.

She stated Ruben had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the children being "overwrought by enjoyment", until his stepchild had suspicions in recently.

Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his stepchild had suspicions about the activities, for good reason.

"They chose" to investigate in the man's possessions."

Mrs Prior KC explained items including infant oil, petroleum jelly and medical needles were found, and his family member notified the authorities about his worries.

She explained the defendant continued to engage in the "treat game" with six children that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.

"The police had not gone out by that stage," she stated further.

The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was reviewing law enforcement's management of the situation.

The legal representative explained the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson contacted the authorities again.

She stated the man then engaged in the "sweet game" in a room of five children.