A person who laced treats with sedative and gave them to youngsters at a youth camp in the area has confessed to sexual offenses against two young males both nine and ten years old.
Jon Ruben was detained after eight minors and a grown-up fell ill at the facility in the summer month.
The elderly man, from that region, admitted guilt to a total of 17 charges when he appeared at the courthouse on Friday.
However, he disputed one particular crime he was facing, which was against a young boy.
Ruben was remanded in custody before a additional proceeding on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, handling the case, detailed Ruben's offending to the judicial body.
She said his those affected were children from difficult backgrounds who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.
The defendant played a "treat game" with the youngsters, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the boys' rooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings the defendant had played this game with the children "over an extended period", and minors had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She stated the man had been capable of justifying this for many years as the minors being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had concerns in summer 2025.
The prosecutor stated further: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about what was going on, justifiably.
"They chose" to investigate in the individual's items."
Mrs Prior KC explained objects including infant oil, Vaseline and medical needles were discovered, and his stepchild alerted the police about his suspicions.
She said the defendant went on to play the "treat game" with six boys that night - that Saturday - and they were all ill the following morning.
"Authorities" had not gone out by that point," she continued.
The regulatory agency, the police conduct office, previously told that it was examining the police response of the events.
The prosecutor stated the youngsters were struggling to walk due to their sickness, so the stepson called the law enforcement once more.
She stated Ruben then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five youngsters.
