“He was devious, he was determined"
Javed Saumtally, aged 28, of Ipswich, was jailed for 15 months after he spun a web of lies in a bid to sabotage his friend’s other relationships.
Brighton Crown Court heard that he created fake threatening texts and screenshots due to his “unhealthy obsession” for the man.
Saumtally and his flatmate had lived in Brighton. They moved separately to Ipswich where they shared a flat.
During an 18-month campaign of harassment, Saumtally faked abusive texts from others in a bid to stop his flatmate from having relationships.
He also created fake screenshots on WhatsApp to make it look as if his flatmate’s new partner had been unfaithful.
Saumtally also sent messages to himself to make it look like he was also a victim.
He allowed his flatmate to believe that an ex-partner was responsible.
Due to Saumtally’s false accusations, his flatmate’s ex-partner was arrested twice by police and it saw him spend nearly 15 hours in custody.
The man also spent 56 days waiting for the police to return his electronic devices.
Facing Saumtally in court, the man said the false accusations he faced were “life-changing”.
Referring to Saumtally’s flatmate, he added:
“It was deeply hurtful to have our time together ruined in such a bitter way.”
Jonathan Atkinson, prosecuting, said the deception was part of a “concerted ploy by Mr 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”.
Mr Atkinson said the doctor wanted to make his friend feel threatened, “all the while pretending to act as an understanding friend and companion”.
He 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.”
Following a trial, Saumtally was convicted of perverting the course of justice.
Defence barrister Janet Weeks said her client 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”.
Judge Jeremy Gold QC said it was a “tragedy” that a doctor such as Saumtally, who had been praised for his work on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic, should carry out such serious offending and end up in court.
He added that Saumtally had “developed an unhealthy obsession” with his flatmate and took “extraordinary steps”.
Javed Saumtally was jailed for 15 months.
Investigator Rose Horan, who probed the case for Sussex Police, said:
“Javed Saumtally was right at the centre of each incident. He went to enormous lengths to perpetrate an intricate deception.
“He was devious, manipulative and technologically adept.
“His motive appears to have been an obsessive jealousy of his flatmate’s relationships, and a dogged determination to sabotage each and everyone.”
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