SINGAPORE - They were childhood friends but a few drinks and an argument later, Laurence Lim Hock Meng and Mr Wong Choon Yu got into a bloody fight.

It ended with Lim, 39, holding a knife and Mr Wong, 43, bleeding from a slash wound.

A district court heard that Lim, a warehouse logistics keeper, had drinks with Mr Wong and several of their friends at the coffee shop at Block 721 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, on Sept 16, 2016.

Later that evening, Lim and Mr Wong got into a dispute. Mr Wong then challenged Lim to a fight behind the coffee shop.

As they walked to the back of the coffee shop, one of the witnesses saw Lim taking a knife from his bag, which he used for work. There was a scuffle and they ended up on the floor, punching each other.

Lim slashed the victim on the waist with the knife, causing him to bleed.

Another friend then grabbed the knife from Lim and threw it into the drain.

Mr Wong was taken to hospital and given five days of medical leave. He suffered a 15cm-long cut over the left flank with mild bleeding.

Lim was also examined and found to have tenderness and bruising at his right jaw, a small ulcer inside his cheek, and a superficial cut on his right index finger.

Criminal Legal Aid Scheme assigned lawyer Low Jianhui said Lim and the victim were childhood friends.

Pleading for leniency, he said his client had armed himself with the knife for his protection, and that the victim's injuries were "quite minor".

Lim was sentenced to nine months' jail on Friday (Dec 30) after admitting to hurting Mr Wong with the knife.

He had previous convictions for criminal intimidation, disorderly behaviour and robbery with hurt.

Lim will start his sentence on Jan 9. He could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned, or received any combined punishment.