Sex attacker who assaulted backpacker after cliff plunge in Thailand is jailed for just five years – as her mother slams ‘dismal’ sentence

A SEX attacker who brutally assaulted a backpacker after she fell 150ft down a cliff in Thailand while fleeing him has been jailed for five years.

Hannah Gavios, 23, broke her back and lay helpless trapped on rocks while Apai Ruangwong, 28, subjected her to a ten-hour ordeal.

She was rescued the next morning on September 2 but had lost all feeling in her legs - and is still in hospital in New York having physiotherapy.

Twisted Ruangwong was sentenced to ten years earlier this month but that was halved after he pleaded guilty to the obscene behaviour and causing serious injury.

Hannah's mother Gwen - who is currently raising money for her medical care - has slammed the soft sentence.

She said: ''I am dismayed that it is automatically cut down to five years because of a guilty plea.''

Gwen said that Hannah will suffer the consequences of the attack ''for the rest of her life''.

Hannah still has no feeling in her ankles, feet and backside and is now learning to walk again with crutches and leg braces.

She had been teaching English in Vietnam when she took a holiday to Thailand's Railay Beach in the resort of Krabi where she arrived on September 1.

She became lost on the pitch-black beach and went into a local tourist shop asking for help back to her hotel.

Hired-help worker Ruangwong offered to show her the way but instead led her into the jungle where they started climbing a mountain.

Hannah, who was still tired after arriving in Thailand just the day before, innocently followed him before realising she was in danger.

The man pinned her down and tried to rip off her clothes - but brave Hannah fought back and bit off part of his ear.

She then fled but blindly ran off the edge of a cliff.

The American fractured her spine and smashed her head on the way down before she landed crippled at the bottom of the cliff.

But the nightmare wasn't over because Ruangwong scrambled after her and sexually molested her for several hours as she lay helpless.

After a couple of hours, Ruangwong left but then returned later with other people who raised the alarm.

Hannah was rescued and taken to hospital.

She said at the time: ''I honestly thought I was going to die.

''I hit my head a few times and landed on a big bump. I was screaming in pain. It was the most painful thing ever,.