A KNIFEMAN who was badly injured when his bike was struck by a car in a hit and run, tried to hide the machete he was carrying.

As Garikai Gwayagwaya lay in a garden with a severely broken leg and back injuries he shoved the weapon under a fence, burying it under soil, before the emergency services arrived.

But he was spotted by a witness and, after initially claiming the machete had been a present he had bought for his father, 25-year-old Gwayagwaya, of Mount Pleasant Road, Farnworth, pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Gwayagwaya was cycling on Duchy Road, Salford, at 11.35am on July 3 last year when he was hit by the car.

Harriet Lavin, prosecuting, told how a witness saw Gwayagwaya land in a garden.

"He approached the defendant and saw him putting, what appeared to be, a large knife under the edge of a garden on a building site, trying to cover it," said Miss Lavin.

Police, who were called to the scene, found the weapon.

"The defendant was interviewed and said the reason for buying the knife was for his father's birthday present. He said he didn't intend to use it on anyone and he hadn't had any arguments or disputes with anyone recently either," said Miss Lavin.

But Judge Suzanne Goddard was sceptical about Gwayagwaya's explanation for having what she described as a "very wicked looking knife" in a sheath as he cycled along when he was hit by a car "in strange circumstances".

"Despite the severity of your injuries it didn't stop you trying to hide the knife under some soil," she said

"You knew perfectly well you shouldn't have been cycling around with a knife like that.

"It is a nonsensical suggestion that it was for a collection of knives that your father kept at his home."

At the time of the incident Gwayagwaya was coming to the end of a suspended prison sentence he was serving for dangerous driving and other related offences.

Anthony Morris, defending, stated that Gwayagwaya spend four weeks in hospital following the collision and faces further surgery for a cracked vertebrae.

Gwayagwaya was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, will be electronically tagged and subject to a 7pm to 7am curfew for three months.

In addition he must participate in days of rehabilitation activities, pay £200 towards prosecution costs and was fined £10 for breaching the previous suspended sentence.

"If your father does have such a collection of knives, which I have my own doubts about, you ought to advise him very carefully about the legality of weapons such as that," the judge told Gwayagwaya.