A British academic sentenced to a lifetime behind bars over an espionage charge in the United Arab Emirates has landed at London's Heathrow airport.

Key points: Scholar touched down in UK on Tuesday morning

Scholar touched down in UK on Tuesday morning Had been sentenced to a life in prison after being convicted to spying

Had been sentenced to a life in prison after being convicted to spying UAE President pardoned the 31-year-old on Monday

Dunham University PhD student Matthew Hedges was in the UAE in May for what was supposed to be a two-week research trip, but only returned home on Tuesday morning.

Speaking through a family spokesman, Mr Hedges thanked his wife Daniela Tejada and the British Foreign Office for helping to bring him home.

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"I could not have done this without Daniela — I hear her face is everywhere," the spokesman told UK's City A.M.

"She is so brave and strong, seeing her and my family after this ordeal is the best thing that could have happened.

"I thank you all once again, this is very surreal."

Mr Hedges was stopped at Dubai International Airport as he was attempting to leave the UAE on May 5, with authorities accusing him of spying, a charge he, his family and the British Government denied.

Last week the 31-year-old was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of espionage in a five-minute hearing at an Abu Dhabi court.

The conviction prompted an outcry, led by Ms Tejada, who was joined by British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Prime Minister Teresa May.

Mr Hedges was officially pardoned on Monday and boarded a plane headed for London following his release.

News of Mr Hedges' arrival back in the UK was met with celebration from his supporters, including Mr Hunt.

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Following her very public campaign, Ms Tejada called for time to "process everything that we have been through".

"No-one should ever have to go through what he did and it will take him time to heal and recover," she said.

"He is very overwhelmed. To say we are happy is an understatement."

Mr Hedges and Ms Tejada on their wedding day. ( Supplied )

In the minutes before Mr Hedges was pardoned on Monday, a UAE Government spokesman showed journalists a video which he said showed Mr Hedges confessing to belong to Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6.

However, doubt has been cast over the authenticity of the video, which was at times inaudible and shown with subtitles that could not be independently verified.

In one part of the video, Mr Hedges told UAE authorities he was ranked as "captain" in the MI6, despite there being no ranks in the agency.

The spokesman said Mr Hedges was "100 per cent a secret service operative" and aimed "to steal the UAE's sensitive national secrets for his paymasters".

In the lead-up to his release, Ms Tejada strongly denied her husband was a spy.

"In my heart I know that he isn't," she told the BBC.

ABC/Reuters