A British PhD student has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of spying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Matthew Hedges, a 31-year-old academic at Durham University, said he was conducting a research trip when he was arrested on 5 May at Dubai airport.

A court in Abu Dhabi has declared him guilty of “spying for or on behalf of” the UK government.

Mr Hedges has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The BBC’s Middle East Correspondent Paul Blake said foreign media were barred from the hearing and the sentence was revealed by the family.

A family spokesman said the hearing “lasted less than five minutes and his lawyer was not present”.

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