A British student has been charged by prosecutors in the UAE with posing as an academic researcher to spy for a foreign government.

Matthew Hedges, 31, who is studying for a PhD at Durham University, was arrested at Dubai airport on May 5 and has been held in solitary confinement.

Hamad al-Shamsi, UAE's attorney general, said on Monday that Mr Hedges had been charged with "spying for and on behalf of a foreign state" in an act that "jeopardises the military, economic and political security of the UAE".

He claimed Mr Hedges had been attempting during his trip to secure confidential information to potentially pass to a foreign agency without naming which one.

His case has now been referred to the country’s Court of Appeal, where he is due to appear on October 24.