Paxton claims he cared for torture victim

Dustin Paxton described himself as a "very, very, very nice guy" while being interviewed by a Calgary detective about the torture and sexual abuse alleged by his roommate.

Paxton, 31, is on trial in Calgary charged with forcible confinement, aggravated assault and sexual assault of his 27-year-old roommate between December 2008 and April 2010 in Calgary and Regina.

On Thursday and Friday, the court was shown a video tape of Paxton being interviewed by Det. Doug Crippen shortly after he was arrested.

During the interview, Paxton describes himself as a caregiver for his roommate.

"I was taking care of him 16 hours a day. I would take him to the bathroom, I would feed him, I would wash him down," said Paxton.

Crippen accused Paxton of hitting the man.

"He wasn't held hostage or tortured," Paxton yelled at the police officer.

"I miss him, I miss him. I can't believe a single person isn't standing up to call this bull," he added

During the interview, Crippen repeatedly asked how the roommate got his injuries. Paxton responded that he wasn't going to explain anything, that it would come out in a courtroom.

Paxton said his roommate's condition did get worse every day, but maintained he looked after him.

Later in the interview, Paxton apologized to Crippen for raising his voice.

Also in court on Friday, a woman who works at a registry office testified that she saw Paxton assault his roommate.

Sally Proctor said the first time she met the roommate he seemed happy and talkative, but when he returned to her office five months later, in April 2009, to register a moving truck for his and Paxton's business he was a changed man.

She said he was 40 pounds lighter, and had cuts on his face, deformed ears and was very quiet, barely opening his mouth when he talked.

She said the man had to call Paxton, who was in a truck outside, to come in and give him money to pay for an item.

The man then left and got into a truck with Paxton. Proctor said Paxton, who was in the front, turned around and punched the man in the side of the head four times.

"I saw his head bounce off the passenger window," she told the court.

The man didn't react, and did not retaliate, Proctor said.

When the roommate was dropped off at a Regina hospital in April 2010 he weighed only 87 pounds — down from 210 pounds — had several broken bones and his lips and tongue had been mutilated.

The Crown plans to call 50 witnesses in the trial, presided over by Justice Sheilah Martin, which is set to last five weeks.

A publication ban prohibits naming the alleged sexual assault victim, who is expected to testify in mid-October, and other witnesses that could lead to identifying him.