Witness says torture victim owned company, not Paxton

A former employee of the moving company run by Dustin Paxton, who is accused of torturing and sexually assaulting his business partner and roommate, testified in court Friday that the firm was actually owned by Paxton's alleged victim.

Rodney Boutilier, 36, told court that the business, Two Guys and a Truck, and its four moving trucks were in the torture victim's name.

Boutilier took a job as a mover in late 2009 with the Calgary company, which was operated out of the house where Paxton and his business partner lived.

Paxton, 31, is charged with forcible confinement, aggravated assault and sexual assault of a 27-year-old man over a period of almost a year-and-a-half in Calgary and Regina.

When the man was dropped off at a Regina hospital in April 2010 he weighed just 87 pounds — down from 200 pounds — and was badly mutilated.

Boutilier said that when he met the man he had wounds on his arms, cauliflower ears, black eyes, a broken nose and puffy cheeks. He said the five-foot-10 man weighed about 140 pounds and looked gaunt.

Boutilier testified that Paxton told him he hurt the man.

"He [Paxton] had done it to him for bad business dealings [the victim] had done throughout the times they did business together, for treating customers badly, not having moves on time, not doing things on time, stuff like that," the man testified.

Boutilier said Paxton told him he studied human anatomy and knew where to hit people.

The witness said Paxton was a very angry person, and he quit after Paxton started screaming at him.

Defence labels witness a liar

Paxton's lawyer tried Friday to discredit Robert Cannon, who testified Wednesday that he saw Paxton carry out horrific violence, as a liar.

Cannon, 25, who worked with Paxton and his alleged victim at the moving company, told court Wednesday that he saw Paxton hit the man with a metre-long bamboo stick.

He also told the court that he moved out of the house they all shared because he was afraid for his own life.

During his cross-examination of Cannon on Friday, defence lawyer Jim Lutz suggested he actually moved out because he was wanted by police for failing to appear in court.

Lutz pointed out that Cannon has a criminal record for theft and obstruction of justice.

Cannon denied that he had lied to the court.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Sheilah Martin called a short break when Cannon began crying in the courtroom.

Other witness a no-show

Another witness for the Crown, Patrick Johnson, failed to appear when called to testify earlier this week. Police issued a warrant for his arrest on Thursday.

The trial 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 might identify him.