A Bradford woman allegedly sent five threatening and malicious e-mails to her local MP, Naz Shah, in order to get other people into trouble, a jury has heard.

Tom Storey, prosecuting, claimed Sundas Alam's actions led to armed police arresting her former line manager, his wife and his brother at their family home in the early hours on April 4.

"These emails were abusive and threatening in nature and intended to cause her, the MP, distress or anxiety," alleged Mr Storey.

The barrister claimed all three arrested people were questioned under suspicion of sending the emails which included phrases such as "you are going to die this week coming", "you won't see your children", sexual threats and insults.

But the five emails to Bradford West MP Naz Shah had actually been sent by Alam using spoofed emails to make it look as if they had come from the three people arrested, alleged Mr Storey.

He was opening the prosecution at York Crown Court against Alam, of Princeville Street, Lidget Green, Bradford, who denies three charges of sending malicious communications and one of perverting the course of justice.

Mr Storey alleged Alam had worked at West Yorkshire Community Rehabilitation Company, then part of the probation system, as a receptionist from June 2020.

In November, she was dismissed following an internal disciplinary hearing about messages she had sent to her line manager on the company's internal message system which he regarded as inappropriate.

She sent him so many messages by text and social media that he changed his phone number.

Alam also alleged to senior staff she had been sexually harassed at work, said the barrister.

Her appeal against dismissal was rejected, and an inquiry found no support for her sexual harassment allegations.

Mr Storey alleged Alam asked Ms Shah for help in January and was told she should instead seek legal advice regarding taking her case before an employment tribunal.

On March 30, after the line manager complained to police about the messages he was receiving from Alam she was arrested and released under investigation.

"It may well be that which precipitated what then happened," alleged Mr Storey.

On April 3, Alam sent threatening emails to Ms Shah at 7.36pm, 11.12pm and 11.15pm, claimed Mr Storey.

Police tracked down the sending of the emails via instore WiFi at Home Bargains in Idle, Bradford, and Tesco's Canal Road store in Bradford.

They also got CCTV and WiFi data which the prosecution claims shows Alam in the two stores using the WiFi at the times the emails were sent.

Alam was arrested on April 5 and made no comment when interviewed.

The trial continues.