BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Paul Adams added:

BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Paul Adams said that Matthew Hedge's sentence to life in prison was "a shock to absolutely everyone.

"I was confidently expecting that we would hear some good news today because all the indications through private channels, and things I understood the family had been hearing, that the FO had been hearing, that MPs had been hearing, was that the UAE were frankly a little embarrassed about this case and wanted it over with.

“So no-one was expecting a sentence of life imprisonment, that has absolutely stunned everyone. The tenor of the Foreign Secretary’s statement is pretty telling “not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner”, there’s a sense in which Jeremy Hunt is really saying that I have been personally betrayed and let down.

He added: I spoke to the crown prince and the foreign minister about this case, and he’s urging the UAE to reconsider and saying there will be repercussions for the relationship between the two countries if that does not happen.

House of Commons
Parliament

Conservative MP Crispin Blunt raises the decision by the UAE to sentence British PhD student Matthew Hedges to life in prison on spying charges.

This "wholly inconsistent" with the behaviour of a nation with who we have a mutual defence accord, he says.

Ms May says she realises how "difficult and distressing this is" and the foreign secretary is raising the case with the Emirati authorities at the highest level.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt looks on from the frontbench.

Hedges' wife Daniela Tejada, who was present at the court, said:

Dr John Williams, the head of government and international affairs at Durham University, said Matthew Hedges' case is "appalling" and "lacks most of the features we would accept as a fair trial".

He said: "Clearly Matt's innocence is beyond question in this case.

"As an academic community, as a group of human beings, we are appalled and deeply upset by the terrible sentence and the injustice of the conviction."

Image source, Daniela Tejada

Matthew Hedge's friend Cinzia Bianco has been giving her reaction to the Durham University student's life sentence.

Cinzia said: "We are all shocked because this verdict says is that there are no boundaries, there is no safety for academic research in the UAE, and it’s quite astonishing because the UAE has tried to build its profile internationally by inviting campuses of prestigious international universities who are currently operating in the UAE, and how does that feature into the verdict today?

“It was a good sign when he was released on bail, and it was due to the pressure that the UAE authorities received, including by the international media, so as long as the case was kept secret, he received treatment which has been described as below the international standards by several associations.

“Then thanks to this pressure he was released on bail, and there was an expectation that this pressure, added to the actions of the UK government, would have led to a different verdict. Now we have seen that yesterday President Trump’s reaction to the Khashoggi killing has opened up perhaps a kind of impunity for this kind of authoritarian measures.

Image source, Daniela Tejada

“This has a lot to do with the actual actions we will see from the UK and especially from Europe because Matthew Hedges is a European Union citizen as well so we are expecting more repercussions and stronger positions because the UK and the UAE will continue to have joint projects and delegations.

“We are leaving [the family] some space, they are shocked, they weren’t expecting this verdict, they have 30 days to appeal and there is still a glimmer of hope.”

At the end of October Matthew Hedges was released on bail but had been told he must remain in the UAE until today's court appearance.

Since then he was made to wear an ankle bracelet and was warned that, if instructed, he would have to return to jail.

Image source, Daniela Tejada

Matthew Hedges, the Durham University PhD student, has been sentenced to life in prison on spying charges after been held in the country since May.

Paul Blake, who is reporting from the UAE for the BBC, says: "This is devastating news for Matthew Hedges and his family, who were hoping that he would be released today after a hearing in the capital city of Abu Dhabi.

"The 31-year-old academic was detained at the Dubai airport on May 5th when he was attempting to leave the country after a research trip focused on the UAE's foreign policy and security strategy.

Image source, Daniela Tejada

"Concern has grown in recent weeks for the academic's mental and physical health, after with his family and fellow academics said he had been held in solitary confinement for nearly six months.

"Foreign media were barred from this morning's court proceedings and were moved on from reporting near the court by police. Word of the decision came via a family spokesperson."

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been giving his reaction to the breaking news that Durham University Student Matthew Hedges has been sentenced to life in prison on spying charges by a court in Abu Dhabi.

Mr Hunt has said: "I am deeply shocked and disappointed by the verdict today.

"I have personally raised the case of Matthew Hedges at the highest levels of the UAE government, including during my visit to Abu Dhabi on 12 November.

"On that occasion, I spoke to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed.

Image source, Daniela Tejada

"However, today's verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances.

"Our consular officials have been in close contact with Matthew Hedges and his family. We will continue to do everything possible to support him.

"I have repeatedly made clear that the handling of this case by the UAE authorities will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust. I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider."

Lucy Moody
Journalist

A court in Abu Dhabi has sentenced Durham University student Matthew Hedges to life in prison on spying charges.

The 31-year-old was arrested in the United Arab Emirates six months ago after being accused of spying in the Middle East.

Image source, Daniela Tejada

Lucy Moody
Journalist

Newcastle airport is warning passengers that an emergency exercise is taking place this afternoon.

BBC Business News

Middlesbrough's chain of Patisserie Valerie could face uncertainty while accountancy firm Grant Thorton is being investigated over it's auditing of Patisserie holdings.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is investigating audits by the accountancy firm of three years - 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Last month the finance director of the troubled bakery chain was arrested after accounting irregularities were uncovered.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC News

"He's just a bloke who wants to have a nice life".

Since 2015, 27-year-old, Brent Marriner who has down syndrome has been tweeting about his daily achievements to show people he can do "lots of things"

His twitter account '@Being_Brent' includes post of him proudly collecting a takeaway on his own, working and doing activities such as doing the laundry.

But recently his positive account has become a place where the public have been using him in battles about personal politics.

Read more here.

Image source, Jacqui Tyson

BBC Weather

Today will see a cloudy start with spells of rain, and perhaps some sleet and wet snow on the high ground.

The rain will then clear to leave a mainly dry afternoon with spells of sunshine.

It will feel cold again.

Click here for more weather.

Janine and Shane Scott took seven-year-old Elissa on their honeymoon to New York during term time.

Sunderland Echo
Newspaper

Morning, here's a copy of today's front page and a link to the top story, external.

Image source, Sunderland Echo

Several Championship clubs are "gravely concerned" by the EFL board's announcement it has approved a new domestic broadcasting rights deal.

More than 1,100 homes in the Washington area have been hit by power cuts.

Northern Powergrid said it hopes to have all power restored to affected home in the NE38 and NE37 areas by 08:45.

The project has been running for 30 years but councils are withdrawing their funding.

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