Businesswoman started brawl with married couple in New Year’s Eve fight in Leeds nightclub car park

Leeds Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of a group of around ten Vietnamese people fighting after leaving Mint Club on Harrison Street.

Giong Nguyen grabbed a steering lock from his Mercedes and used it as a weapon after his wife Thao was attacked while sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Nguyen had the steering lock taken off him and used against him, leaving him with a broken elbow that required surgery.

The incident happened in the early hours of January 1 last year.

The couple, who live with their children in Thackray Avenue, Heckmondwike, pleaded guilty to affray.

The court heard Trang Nguyen, of Halt Moor Terrace in York, had ‘started’ the fight by assaulting Thao, who responded by using unlawful violence.

Trang was found guilty of affray following a three-day trial.

Probation officer Gohar Khan said the 27-year-old mum-of-two came to England at the age of 16 to study A Levels and now has a degree in business and marketing from Nottingham Trent University.

He said she has ran a nail salon in York for two years.

Michael Collins, for Thao Nguyen, 26, said his client ran a business as a beautician.

Giong Nguyen’s barrister Ashleigh Metcalfe said her client is an unemployed stay-at-home dad.

Judge Tom Bayliss, QC, told the defendants:

“This was New Year’s Eve in Leeds when the police are overstretched as it is and yet you chose - all three of you - to have a fight in the early hours of the morning.

“It’s fair to say that the violence was confined to a car park but with what was going on and weapons involved it could have easily escalated.”

Giong Nguyen was given a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Thao Nguyen was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £670 costs.

Trang Nguyen was ordered to pay £3,500 over six months for the cost of her trial and complete 240 hours of unpaid work.