Footage from April 8 shows the arrest and crime re-enactment involving Ronnakorn Romruen, 24, who raped and murdered Miriam Beelte, 26, on the island of Koh Si Chang, eastern Thailand, on April 7. He has now been sentenced to death after a hearing at court on July 10, 2019.

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A Thai man who raped and murdered a German backpacker was yesterday (Wed) sentenced to death.

Ronnakorn Romruen, 24, pounced on pretty Miriam Beelte, 26, a she visited a historic stone monument on the island of Koh Si Chang, eastern Thailand, on April 7.

He then brutally raped her before battering her head with a rock to kill her and stop her reporting the attack. He then concealed her body below leaves on a secluded hillside.

Cops arrested the local beach cleaner later that evening and he admitted to raping and killing blonde Miriam, from Hildesheim, Germany.

Ronnakorn has been remanded in custody since the murder and admitted all charges but was yesterday (Wed) sentenced to death because the ''crime was so severe a reduced sentence was not possible''.

A court judgment yesterday (Wed) found that Ronnakorn was guilty of rape, murder to conceal a crime, concealing a body, taking the drug methamphetamine and drunk driving.

He was sentenced to death and will have one month in which to appeal the verdict before being put on death row.

The judgment released from Chonburi Provincial Court read: ''Ronnakorn Romruen was guilty of raping (14 years in jail), murdering to conceal the crime (death penalty), drug taking and driving (eight months in jail), concealing the death of a person (one year in jail).

''However, the defendant confessed during the arrest, the investigation, and the legal consideration due to the amount of evidence against him.

''The court, therefore, will mitigate the penalty by half for the charge of raping (reduced to seven years jail), drug driving (reduced to four months), and concealing the person's death (reduced to six months).

''But the overall crime is so severe that of the defendent deserves to die and the punishment of the dealth panalty will stay in place for the charge of murdering to conceal a crime for which there is no mitigation.''