Calgary torture trial hears accused was kind friend

As the trial continued Wednesday against a Calgary man accused of sexually assaulting and mutilating his roommate, his defence team tried to paint him as a loyal friend who cooked meals for his alleged victim.

Dustin Paxton, 31, is on trial for aggravated assault, forcible confinement, sexual assault, and sexual assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.

Crown lawyer Joe Mercier told the court on Tuesday that Paxton dominated his roommate mentally and physically, holding him captive in Calgary and Regina from December 2008 to April 2010.

The victim’s ex-girlfriend testified that she saw the 200-pound man slowly deteriorate until he was dropped off at a Regina hospital in April 2010 — disfigured and suffering broken bones — weighing only 87 pounds.

But under cross-examination on Wednesday by defence lawyer Jim Lutz, the victim’s girlfriend – and mother of his child – admitted she never saw any physical abuse between the two men, only what she described as mental abuse.

She told court Paxton cooked meals for the victim, provided him a place to live and even encouraged him to get better.

The victim was being treated in a Calgary hospital in the fall of 2009. He told his former girlfriend that he was injured at work, she testified.

She also said Paxton cooked Thanksgiving dinner that year and the meal was delivered to her boyfriend in the hospital.

Paxton, who sat in the prisoner's box wearing a dark blue dress shirt and blue jeans, showed little reaction to the testimony.

Second witness says he saw abuse

Another witness, however, testified that he saw Paxton hit the victim with a metre-long bamboo stick.

Robert Cannon, 25, who worked with both men at Paxton’s moving company, told court that the victim's ears were red and puffy, having 'cauliflowered’, and he had to be treated in hospital.

Cannon testified that he told the victim, "Paxton is not your friend", that friends don't treat people that way.

Cannon said the victim replied that he owed Paxton and that the two were "blood brothers."

The Crown plans to call 50 witnesses in the trial, which is set to last five weeks. Paxton’s alleged victim is expected to take the stand in mid-October.

A publication ban prohibits naming the victim and other witnesses that could lead to identifying him.