Ipswich doctor 'spun web of lies' to sabotage relationships, court hears
Javed Saumtally covers his face as he leaves Hove Crown Court, where he is charged with perverting the course of justice. - Credit: PA
An Ipswich doctor faked screenshots and sent threatening text messages in a bid to sabotage his flatmate's relationships, a court has heard.
General practitioner Javed Saumtally, who now lives in the town, went as far as to send himself abusive text messages and invented a police officer as part of his deception, prosecutors say.
Prosecutors allege Saumtally conducted the acts, which reportedly happened while living in Brighton in 2018, as he had feelings for his male flatmate.
False reports were also allegedly made to police by the 28-year-old, Hove Crown Court heard on Wednesday afternoon, where he denies a charge of perverting the course of justice.
The supposed lies allegedly took place while Saumtally lived in Brighton - Credit: PA
Opening the case, prosecutor Jonathan Atkinson said the various lies were part of a “concerted ploy by Saumtally to deliberately undermine the relationships of his flatmate… to (make him) feel under threat and harassed as a result, all the while pretending to act as an understanding friend and companion.”
In his actions, Saumtally was “motivated by his own feelings” for his male flatmate, the prosecutor added.
Mr Atkinson said the defendant set about “sending abusive and derogatory messages from unknown numbers” to his flatmate.
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He added Saumtally also sent fake messages to himself, “no doubt to make it look like he was also a victim and to deflect attention away from him”.
It is alleged he used fake messaging apps and websites in order to furnish his deception.
One such fake message, the court heard, pretended to be to received by Saumtally from a man his flatmate knew and said: “…I am going to ruin his life”.
Other messages were supposedly sent to a man his flatmate had been seeing – who on return from a trip to Portugal was met with screenshots of WhatsApp messages suggesting he had been seeing other people while abroad.
These messages, the prosecution say, were “faked”.
Saumtally denies the charge.
The East Sussex trial, which is expected to last up to a week, continues.
