Vietnamese woman jailed for 'damaging' table at karaoke parlor

A woman in the northern province of Ha Nam is appealing a jail sentence for damaging a table at a karaoke parlor, handed down by a local court last week.

The court sentenced Le Thi Trang, 29, to 12 months in jail after finding her guilty of causing damage worth VND2 million ($88). The woman is demanding a reinvestigation.

According to prosecutors, Trang reserved a room at Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha's karaoke bar on February 3. A quarrel between the two broke out after Trang discovered that her reservation was cancelled.

During the brawl, Trang allegedly smashed her glass on a stone table, chipping a piece off the edge.

In her appeals letter, Trang said the prosecutors failed to take into account the fact that the table had been in use for a long time and its value had already been decreased.

She also said that it was unfair to deem her act as "dangerous," claiming that she had been assaulted by Ha's family and staff first.

Trang said after the incident she filed a complaint regarding the assault, but then withdrew it after reaching an agreement with Ha.

More than a month later, Phu Ly Town police launched a criminal probe into the case and she was prosecuted.