Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has threatened the United Arab Emirates with "serious diplomatic consequences" after it sentenced a British student to life in prison.

Matthew Hedges, 31, was detained at Dubai Airport on 5 May and accused of spying in the UAE.

Mr Hunt has said he will meet with Mr Hedges' wife, Daniela Tejada.

Authorities said the PHD student's research in the country for his thesis on security policies after the Arab Spring was a "cover" for carrying out surveillance for a "foreign agency", thought to be the UK government.

There had been hopes that Mr Hedges would be granted freedom after he was released on bail at the end of last month, but he has now been jailed for life after a hearing lasting less than five minutes.


Image: Daniela Tejada (L) says Mr Hedges (R) suffers from anxiety and depression

Mr Hunt, who along with minister of state for the Middle East Alistair Burt has travelled to the UAE to make representations on Mr Hedges' behalf, said the case was "extremely worrying".

He tweeted: "We have seen no evidence to back up charges against him. FCO will do ALL we can to get him home & I will meet his wife Daniela tmrw.

"UAE claim to be friend & ally of the UK so there will be serious diplomatic consequences. Unacceptable."

Mr Hedges' wife, who was in the court room to witness the handing down of the sentence, said she was "in complete shock and I don't know what to do".

Over 100 academics have signed an open letter calling for the release of Mr Hedges

Ms Tejada added: "Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and they have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them.

"The British government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens. They say the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matthew's case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price."

A life sentence in the UAE includes a maximum of 25 years in jail. Mr Hedges has the right to appeal within the next 30 days.

It is understood he was also ordered to pay his own costs.

The wife of British PhD student Matthew Hedges has told Sky News he is not a spy

Theresa May told MPs in parliament: "We are of course deeply disappointed and concerned at today's verdict. We are raising it with the Emirati authorities at the highest level."

Last month, Ms Tejada expressed concern for Mr Hedges' safety, saying he was being held in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location with limited access to the British consulate and his family.

Image: Matthew Hedges (R) was carrying out research on the aftermath of the Arab Spring

In a statement, UAE's attorney general said Mr Hedges "pleaded guilty before the court... to all charges after the court faced him with compelling legal evidence concluded after thorough judicial investigations."

Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi claims the Briton "confessed in detail to his crimes during investigations whereby he was accorded his full rights and assurances as per the UAE constitution and state laws to fair and transparent trial."

Ms Tejada told Sky News last month Mr Hedges had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and had been due to start non-medicated treatment on his return to the UK.

He was said to be vomiting on a daily basis, due to the stress.