A person who contaminated sweets with tranquilliser and gave them to minors at a summer camp in the area has admitted sexual offences against two boys who were nine and 10.
The accused was taken into custody after eight children and one adult became sick at the facility in mid-summer.
The 76-year-old, from that region, confessed to a total of 17 charges when he stood at the courthouse on Friday.
Nevertheless, he refused to admit one particular crime he was accused of, which was against a nine-year-old child.
The accused was remanded in custody prior to a additional proceeding on late November.
'Candy game'
The legal representative, presenting evidence, outlined the criminal behavior to the court.
She explained his targets were children from difficult backgrounds who were attending a youth camp which he ran.
The defendant engaged in a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would access the children's bedrooms when they were settling down and request they to ingest treats "as fast as possible".
She told the court the man had played this game with the children "repeatedly", and children had earlier experienced illness the following morning.
She said the man had been capable of justifying this repeatedly as the youngsters being "overexcited from fun", until his stepchild had concerns in recently.
The legal representative stated further: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.
"They resolved" to have a look in the defendant's belongings."
The prosecutor said objects including baby oil, petroleum jelly and syringes were discovered, and his stepson notified the police about his worries.
She said the defendant proceeded to conduct the "sweet game" with six youngsters that evening - that Saturday - and they were everyone unwell the following morning.
"The police had not gone out by that stage," she added.
The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, had stated that it was reviewing the police response of the situation.
Mrs Prior said the children were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so Ruben's stepson notified the police a second time.
She said the man then played the "candy game" in a room of five minors.
