Massage therapist's trial begins as witness describes being fondled during treatment - Calgary Herald

[massage]

Article content continued


Spaner said Baltazar worked at two different sports medicine clinics during the time period the allegations occurred, from October 2017 to Sept. 28, 2018, at Movement Sports Clinic and Chinook Chiropractic Clinic.

“The Crown expects that each man who testifies will tell the court that they attended at either . . . clinic for massage therapy treatment to address various physical ailments.

“While we do not expect or anticipate that each man who testifies will allege the identical sexual act, we do expect that each complainant will tell the court that during the massage therapy appointment in question they experienced Dennis Baltazar engaging in some form of touching of their genital area.”

Spaner said some of the men were asked for consent and gave it believing it was necessary for their therapeutic treatment.

Meanwhile, in evidence, deWit heard from one of the 16 alleged victims who testified about their encounters with Baltazar.

The man testified he had five or six massage sessions with the accused, culminating in a Sept. 28, 2018, appointment which was to focus on his groin area, even though it was to be a full-body massage.

He said during his massage he felt what he believed was inadvertent brushing of his exposed genitals.

“And then there was some clear, obvious touching,” the witness said.

“I was thinking in my head, ‘Is this happening to me?'”

At that point, the witness said he no longer felt comfortable.

“I said ‘whoa, whoa, whoa, I’m good, let’s move on,'” he told Goard-Baker.

The witness said Baltazar then moved to his neck area, but he continued to feel uncomfortable.

“I could feel his breath on me and I remember thinking, ‘Is he going to try to kiss me now.’ ”

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Jennifer Ruttan, the witness admitted booking a future massage with Baltazar a week after the incident, but later cancelled it.

Ruttan suggested that massage was only cancelled when the witness learned someone else had complained about being inappropriately touched.

The trial continues Tuesday.

[email protected]

On Twitter: @KMartinCourts