A DOCTOR created fake screenshots and sent threatening messages to his flatmate in an attempt to sabotage his relationships, a court has heard.

General practitioner Javed Saumtally allegedly had feelings for his flatmate and spun an elaborate web of lies, a jury was told.

He allegedly sent himself abusive texts and invented a police officer as part of deception.

The 28-year-old is accused of making false reports to police while living in Brighton in 2018.

Prosecutor Jonathan Atkinson said the lies were part of a “concerted ploy" by Saumtally to deliberately undermine the relationships of his flatmate.

This involved “sending abusive and derogatory messages from unknown numbers” to his flatmate, the court heard.

The court heard that at one point his flatmate returned from a trip to Portugal and was met with "faked" screenshots of WhatsApp messages.

These suggested he had been seeing other people while on the trip.

Mr Atkinson said Saumtally wanted to make him "feel under threat and harassed... all the while pretending to act as an understanding friend and companion".

Saumtally is also accused of sending messages to himself “to make it look like he was also a victim and to deflect attention away from him”.

The court heard that one fake message which Saumtally claimed to have received from a man his flatmate knew said: “I am going to ruin his life”,

He allegedly used fake messaging applications and websites in order to furnish his deception.

Saumtally spent six years at Brighton and Sussex Medical School before qualifying in 2017.

He worked as a junior doctor in Brighton before going to work at a hospital in Ipswich.

The Argus: Doctor created fake screenshots with threatening messages to sabotage flatmate’s relationships Doctor created fake screenshots with threatening messages to sabotage flatmate’s relationships

Saumtally previously appeared at Brighton Magistrates Court in September 2019.

The case was sent for trial, which has now started at Hove Crown Court.

Saumtally, who currently lives in Ipswich, denies one charge of perverting the course of justice.

The doctor appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit, striped tie and black facemask.

He was pictured outside court holding a bundle of documents up to hide his face.

The case, which is expected to last about a week, continues.