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A man who laced sweets with sleeping medication and distributed them to children at a summer camp in the region has confessed to sexual crimes against two young males both between nine and ten.

The accused was detained after eight children and a grown-up experienced illness at the location in mid-summer.

The senior citizen, from that region, pleaded guilty to a multiple criminal counts when he appeared at the judicial center on the end of the week.

Nevertheless, he denied one particular crime he was accused of, which was concerning a nine-year-old child.

Ruben was kept in jail prior to a subsequent court date on November 28th.

'Sweet game'

The legal representative, handling the case, outlined the criminal behavior to the judicial body.

She explained his targets were under-privileged children who were staying at a summer camp which he managed.

The defendant played a "sweet game" with the children, Mrs Prior said, in which he would go into the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and ask them to consume candy "rapidly".

She informed the proceedings the defendant had engaged in this activity with the young males "repeatedly", and youngsters had previously become sick the subsequent day.

She said the defendant had been able to explain this for many years as the children being "overstimulated by activities", until his stepchild had worries in recently.

Mrs Prior KC added: "In the summer" his stepson had suspicions about the activities, justifiably.

"They decided to investigate in the defendant's belongings."

The legal counsel stated objects including lubricant, petroleum jelly and syringes were located, and his family member alerted the law enforcement about his suspicions.

She said Ruben proceeded to conduct the "candy game" with six children that time - July 26th - and they were all sick the subsequent day.

"Law enforcement" had not gone out by that point," she stated further.

The oversight body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, earlier informed that it was examining law enforcement's management of the situation.

Mrs Prior stated the youngsters were having difficulty walking due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the law enforcement once more.

She said the man then played the "candy game" in a area of five children.