Bryce Hitchcock jailed for violent carjacking and threats to slice girlfriend during arrest

In a desperate bid to avoid arrest for a violent carjacking, a man held a knife to his girlfriend’s throat and threatened to “slice her” if police didn’t drop their guns and let him go.

A man held a knife to his girlfriend’s throat in a desperate bid to avoid arrest after a violent carjacking.

Bryce Ian Hitchcock, 25, tried to reassure police he was harmless during the terrifying ordeal, despite threats to slice her.

The District Court heard the first victim, Victoria Hedger was waiting to turn onto Main North Road at Prospect on December 24.

“You got into the passenger side armed with a knife and told her to get out or you would slice her throat,” Judge Liesl Kudelka said during sentencing.

Hitchcock and his girlfriend got in the car and drove off, with Ms Hedger dislocating her shoulder as she tried to stop them.

The court heard Hitchcock then evaded police – who saw his car on the South Eastern Freeway – by driving at speeds reaching 180 km/h.

Police later found the car on the off ramp at Murray Bridge after Hitchcock collided with a light pole.

Hitchcock was standing outside the car and pointing a knife to his girlfriend’s throat.

Police told him to drop the knife.

“You responded, ‘Drop the gun or I will slice her, I’ll slice her’,” Judge Kudelka said.

“You said, ‘Put the gun down, I want to take the cop car and go’ … ‘Don’t shoot me. I’m harmless, okay’.”

Hitchcock was eventually tasered by police.

Bryce Hitchcock was jailed for the violent carjacking and endangering his girlfriend’s life. Photo: Istock

The Elizabeth Vale man pleaded guilty to multiple offences including endangering life and robbery.

The court heard the offending left Ms Hedger feeling paranoid and overwhelmed.

“Despite her trauma, she is thankful it was her car that was taken and not her life,” Judge Kudelka said.

“She still has moments where she can just be somewhere and think about the events and start to cry because of all the emotions that she feels.”

The court heard Hitchcock’s girlfriend now suffers with depression and anxiety and no longer wants to be in a relationship with him.

“She believes you did what you did because you were making poor decisions and not thinking things through,” Judge Kudelka said.

“She thinks you were coming down off the drugs and wanted to get out of Adelaide.”

The court heard Hitchcock had plans to move back to his family in Port Augusta upon release from jail.

Judge Kudelka sentenced Hitchcock to seven years and 10 months jail, with a non-parole period of three years and seven months.

“What you did that day was terrifying, particularly given that you were armed with a knife at the time,” she said.

“Both women have been significantly impacted by what you did.”

He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

The sentence was backdated to December 24.