Indian national Chinnappa Vijayaragunatha Poopathi on Friday became the first among 25 men accused of taking part in the Little India riot last December to plead guilty.

This, after the charge against the 32-year-old was amended from rioting to failing to disperse. He is expected to be sentenced on Monday.

For joining or continuing in an assembly after it had been ordered to disperse, Chinnappa may be jailed for up to two years and/or fined - as opposed to rioting where he may be jailed a maximum of seven years and caning.

The Dec 8 riot left 49 Home Team officers injured and 23 emergency vehicles damaged, of which five were burnt. It was the worst case of violence Singapore has seen in the last four decades.