Man jailed for slashing friend's throat A MAN has been sentenced to more than six years in jail for slashing a colleague across the throat with a kitchen knife during a drunken fight. Mark Raymond Hinchliffe, 51, stood trial accused of the attempted murder of his workmate at Hinchliffe's North Yunderup home in May 2011. He was acquitted of that charge but found guilty of the lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm to the 44-year-old victim. During the trial, Hinchliffe admitted to slitting the throat of Scott Williams and confronting him with a gun in an argument but claimed it was in self defence. Mr Williams testified that he and Hinchliffe had been drinking together before cruising Rockingham bars in search of bikies. He said they were looking for associates of an outlaw bikie gang leader known throughout the trial only as "Theo," who had reportedly called Hinchliffe a "piece of s***" during a phone conversation. When the pair failed to find any bikies to fight, they went to Hinchliffe's home and continued drinking. However, an argument ensued and Mr Williams said Hinchliffe began punching him before making him clean his own blood up afterwards. The victim said that, while he was in the laundry, he "heard a pop" and felt something graze his head, alleging Hinchliffe shot him. Mr Williams said he then went into the kitchen, where Hinchliffe pulled a knife and deliberately slit his throat. The victim fled the house and was helped by neighbours. The defence argued Hinchliffe only grabbed the knife to scare Williams during the brawl. In his evidence, Hinchliffe insisted the pair went to three Rockingham bars to find his on-off girlfriend but, when they could not find her, they went to his house. The pair started fighting because Mr Williams wanted to buy drugs off a workmate. In sentencing, Justice Edwin Corboy said Mr Williams clearly played a role in agitating Hinchliffe before the bloody attack, but the knife cut was not self defence since Hinchliffe had twice stopped Mr Williams from assaulting him that night already. Justice Corboy also said violence was an integral part of Hinchliffe's "manhood" and his history of violence showed anti-social and anti-authoritative behaviour. His term of imprisonment was backdated to December 2011 and he will be eligible for release from March 2016.