Model Ngoc Trinh leaves a court in HCMC after being sentenced for posting photos of motorcycle stunts online, February 2, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran
The jury said Trinh had a good criminal record, had been remorseful since her arrest three months ago and had limited consequences for her actions.
Trinh, accused of “disturbing public order,” was released after the trial at the HCMC People’s Court, with two years’ probation.
Tran Xuan Dong, 36, his motorcycle instructor, was sentenced to one year in prison for disturbing public order and six months for making seals and documents.
According to the indictment, Trinh and Dong performed stunts on a large-displacement motorcycle without a proper license in public in Thu Duc town on October 6 last year.
Trinh performed the stunts without protective equipment and drove the vehicle in “inappropriate” positions, including standing to one side of the vehicle and driving without hands.
They recorded the stunts and posted five videos on several social media platforms, including TikTok and Facebook. They received over 163 million likes and comments in less than a month.
The two accused were arrested on October 19 last year.
During the investigation, Dong said he knew the vehicle registrations were fake, but bought them because they were cheap.
Questioned in court on Friday, Trinh said she asked Dong to be her instructor because she planned to apply for a license to ride heavy motorcycles.
“Dong chose vacant places to practice, between 6 and 8 a.m. I also saw many people practicing there,” Trinh said.
Model Ngoc Trinh is on trial in HCMC, February 2, 2024. Video by VnExpress/Nguyen Diep
In her final statement at the trial, Trinh said she had always been aware of having to obey the laws, but that in “impulsive” moments she had unknowingly violated the law.
“When I realized my wrongdoing, it was too late. It was a big lesson for me,” she said, asking for a reduced sentence.
His charge carries a sentence of two to seven years in prison.
Born in Tra Vinh province in the Mekong Delta, Trinh started her career in 2005 and gained attention with her lingerie and swimsuit photoshoots.
