Construction worker Arumugam Velmurugam on was sentenced to a week in jail on Friday after pleading guilty to grabbing the shirt of another worker in a dormitory fight.

The scuffle took place at the Home Stay Residence Dormitory along Bukit Kaki on March 25 at about 11.20pm. Velmurugam, a 28-year-old Indian national, had faced two charges. He was also accused of challenging someone else to the fight, and this was taken into consideration in his sentencing.

He was unrepresented and had sought leniency from the court, telling District Judge Toh Yung Cheong that it was his birthday on Friday and that he supported his aged and ill father in India with his daily income of $25.

Velmurugam is the second man, among 16 who face charges for the fight, to admit his guilt and his sentence was backdated to April 18. Another worker, Dhamaraj Ramesh, 25, pleaded guilty on April 15 and was sentenced to two weeks in jail. 14 other men have their cases pending in court.