A BRIT businessman who vanished six years ago is now fighting for his life in a hellish Chinese prison after being secretly jailed for spying.

       Beijing admitted for the first time today that Ian Stones, aged roughly 70, was convicted of espionage in 2022 - but his family fears he may not survive his sentence.

       4

       Ian Stones was convicted of espionage by Beijing in 2022 in a secret trial 4

       The UK citizen vanished for 6 years after he was detained on suspicion of industrial espionage Credit: Getty

       Stones had worked in China for over four decades for huge US firms including General Motors and Pfizer before he suddenly vanished in 2018.

       It has now emerged the industry bigwig was detained by Beijing for six years on suspicion of "industrial espionage" seemingly as part of China's paranoid crackdown on a potential MI6 infiltration.

       He was eventually convicted and jailed for five years in 2022 for allegedly "obtaining intelligence for overseas actors".

       However, the executive’s daughter Laura has now told of the family's distress over his severe, life-threatening injuries and health conditions following years of poor nutrition and infrequent medical care.

       read more on china MAGIC SHELL China 'creates chilling "dream bullet" able to CHANGE DIRECTION with SatNav'

       TERROR TRIO Iran China and Russia 'recruiting crooks to carry out crimes on UK’s streets'

       Stones is said to be held in the country's capital at the notorious No. 2 Prison, known for housing foreign inmates and has drawn criticism from human rights groups over its ill-treatment of prisoners.

       The alleged spook has been repeatedly denied treatments for his health, while British Embassy officials are often barred from seeing him for sometimes as long as six months, Laura said.

       She told The Wall Street Journal that the family has gone many months without news, which has left them completely in the dark as to whether he is still alive.

       She said: “We hope it is not too late to help recover his health, and pray that the Chinese authorities will continue to do what they can to care for my father until he is able to return home.”

       Most read in The Sun

       baby joy Jeremy Kyle becomes a dad for sixth time as wife Vicky gives birth to a baby girl

       STAYING STRONG Brave Kate smiles with pal as she's seen for first time since Derek's death

       STAR TRAGEDY Pop star dies aged 42 after complications during liposuction op

       tat's a surprise Demi Sims reveals shocking 'tattoo message to sister Chloe’ amid feud

       Laura also revealed her father had not confessed to the crime, but instead has "stoically" accepted that China will force him to serve out the remainder of his sentence.

       Sources revealed the British Embassy has been denied access to documents relating to the case and they were barred from the closed-door trial.

       Throughout the six-year saga, there had been no official mention of his case from either Chinese or UK authorities - despite increasing concerns over Stones' health and welfare.

       The British Foreign Office has been reached for comment, however the UK does not publicly disclose how many of its citizens are detained in China.

       Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin confirmed Mr Stones had been jailed in a curt statement released for the first time yesterday.

       Wenbin said a Beijing court “sentenced the British defendant to five years in prison for the crime of illegally obtaining intelligence for overseas actors.”

       He added that Stones had appealed his conviction, but that the verdict was upheld in September last year.

       The long-running silence surrounding his case suggests that other foreign business people are likely being secretly held by China while governments and/or their families work privately to secure their release.

       After living in China since 1978, Stones was fluent in Chinese, had carved out a hugely lucrative career and had plenty of high-flying friends and associates in the country.

       After working with huge industry giants in China, Stones set up a Beijing-based investment management consulting firm, Navisino Partners, about 15 years ago.

       His company was officially deregistered in China as of 2021.

       The UK and US have repeatedly warned their citizens over the risk of detention under China's sweeping national security laws and the opaqueness of its legal system.

       High alert

       China and Britain have traded barbs in recent months over allegations of perceived espionage and its resulting impact on national security.

       But in recent weeks, Beijing has been stepping up warnings over national security and the threat of foreign spies in an apparent bid to manifest an atmosphere of paranoia.

       Earlier this month, China arrested the head of a foreign consultancy firm after claiming they were spying for Britain's MI6 intelligence service.

       Beijing said the suspect – who is neither British nor Chinese – had been stealing state secrets for the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service since at least 2015.

       Beijing's feared Ministry of State Security revealed the suspect’s surname was Huang, but did not give further details on his identity.

       In a statement, they said the foreign national had tried to establish an "intelligence cooperation relationship".

       The UK has in turn warned that Chinese spies are increasingly targeting officials - allegations that Beijing has denied.

       However, claims of a Chinese spy working at the heart of the UK government represented a possible major escalation in Beijing's attempts to interfere with British democracy.

       A government researcher in September was arrested under the Official Secrets Act, although they subsequently denied spying for Beijing.

       In July, the UK also investigated allegations that a Chinese spy disguised as a tourist attempted to infiltrate parliament.

       It followed Security Minister Tom Tugendhat blasting China for running "unacceptable" and secret police service stations in the UK.

       In the last year, China, which has a broad definition of state secrets, has highly publicised several other alleged spying cases.

       In May, Chinese authorities sentenced 78-year-old American citizen John Shing-wan Leung to life in prison for espionage.

       China last year also conducted raids on a string of big-name consulting, research and due diligence firms.

       Last May, China said it had raided the offices of US consultancy firm Capvision in order to safeguard its "national security and development interests".

       READ MORE SUN STORIES amor drama Love Island fans slam Chris for 'gaslighting' Arabella as she's left in tears

       PARKING MAD Warden slaps fines on SIXTY cars in row as drivers demand 'show us the signs'

       Beijing also questioned staff at the Shanghai branch of another American consultancy, Bain, in April.

       And authorities detained workers and shuttered a Beijing office belonging to US-based due diligence firm Mintz Group in March.

       4

       Beijing's secretive No. 1 and No. 2 detention centres have barely ever allowed anyone inside Credit: AFP 4

       Human rights groups have long accused the two prisons of abusing prisoners Credit: AFP