Emotional return for jailed Briton

George Atkinson's family had not seen him since he was jailed

A businessman has had an emotional reunion with his family after spending six-and-a-half years in a Dubai jail for allegedly defrauding the government out of millions of pounds.

George Atkinson, 51, had not seen his wife and two daughters since he was arrested and jailed while visiting Dubai for a golf tournament.

Flanked by his family after he arrived at Heathrow airport on Monday night, Mr Atkinson said it was "the best feeling in the world" to be free.

He had always protested his innocence, and said the support from his family and well-wishers had been unbelievable.

They now look forward to spending some quiet time together in order to begin the process of coming to terms with what has happened Family statement

Hugging his wife Helene and daughters Alice, 22, and Nina, 24, he said they had a lot to catch up on and they could never get back the time that they had lost.

Asked if he had been treated fairly, Mr Atkinson replied: "No."

Mr Atkinson, from Rockbourne, near Fordingbridge, Hampshire, was jailed for six years and fined £1.3m in December 1998 for aiding and abetting Dubai officials to defraud the government of between £5m and £7.5m.

The charges related to his company Golf Landscape Services, which built the first golf course in the Arabian desert over 10 years ago.

A family statement said: "George Atkinson, his wife and their two daughters, Alice and Nina, would like to express their gratitude to everyone who has played a part in bringing him home today almost exactly six-and-a-half years after he left for the Middle East in February 1997 on what was intended to be a short business trip.

"As for the long separation which has been a great hardship for such a close-knit family, they now look forward to spending some quiet time together in order to begin the process of coming to terms with what has happened."