A man who spiked treats with tranquilliser and provided them to youngsters at a summer program in the region has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two children aged nine and ten years old.
The accused was detained after eight children and one adult experienced illness at the location in the summer month.
The 76-year-old, from that region, pleaded guilty to a series of 17 offences when he appeared at the courthouse on recently.
Yet, he denied a single sexual charge he was facing, which was involving a young boy.
The accused was kept in jail before a subsequent court date on 28 November.
'Sweet game'
Mary Prior KC, prosecuting, outlined the defendant's actions to the legal proceedings.
She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were participating in a summer camp which he ran.
The man played a "treat game" with the minors, the legal counsel stated, in which he would enter the boys' rooms when they were settling down and tell them to eat sweets "as quickly as they can".
She informed the proceedings Ruben had engaged in this activity with the young males "over an extended period", and minors had previously become sick the next day.
She stated Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this repeatedly as the minors being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had suspicions in summer 2025.
Mrs Prior KC continued: "Recently" his stepchild had concerns about what was going on, for good reason.
"They resolved" to have a look in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said materials including lubricant, Vaseline and syringes were located, and his family member alerted the law enforcement about his concerns.
She said the man proceeded to play the "sweet game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all ill the next day.
"The police had not gone out by that point," she added.
The regulatory agency, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was examining the police response of the incident.
Mrs Prior explained the youngsters were struggling to walk due to being ill, so the stepson contacted the law enforcement again.
She explained the defendant then conducted the "candy game" in a room of five minors.
