A "devious" Ipswich doctor who spun a web of lies to sabotage his flatmate’s relationships has been jailed.

Javed Saumtally crafted fake texts and created bogus screenshots in what prosecutors said was a "technologically adept" deception.

He appeared for sentencing before Brighton Crown Court on Monday, wearing a black suit and pink shirt.

Judge Jeremy Gold QC described it as a "tragedy" that a doctor should carry out such serious offending before jailing Saumtally for 15 months.

The 28-year-old, who was praised for working on the frontlines during the Covid pandemic, showed "absurd obsessive behaviour" and acted out of jealousy, a trial at Hove Crown Court had heard.

He and the flatmate were in a relationship when they lived in Brighton before moving separately to Ipswich, where they shared a flat.

The campaign of lies saw one of Saumtally's flatmate’s former partners interviewed by police and spend nearly 15 hours in custody.

His name was finally cleared after officers held his devices for 56 days.

Saumtally even went as far as inventing a police officer as part of his web of deception.

Facing the doctor in court on Monday, the man said the false accusations he faced were "life-changing".

He added: "It’s so important for me to get justice and find out why such deceitful lies were told to me."

During the trial, prosecutor Jonathan Atkinson said Saumtally set about "sending abusive and derogatory messages from unknown numbers" to his flatmate but also to himself in a bid to make it look like he "was also a victim".

Mr Atkinson added: "He was devious, he was determined and technologically adept."

"No-one else stood to gain, he had the motive, he had the means throughout these incidents. He created false exhibits and he lied to police."

Janet Weeks, mitigating, said Saumtally has now expressed remorse and has accepted responsibility.

She described his actions as "absurd obsessive behaviour" but cited his "truly exemplary conduct outside his offending".

Saumtally had denied a single charge of perverting the course of justice, but jurors found him unanimously guilty on September 6.