Earlier this week, a farmer from Co Antrim was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, having been given a suspended jail sentence and banned from keeping animals for five years after being convicted of a number of animal cruelty charges.

Given the current tight, and often non-existent margins in livestock farming, it is hard to fathom why anyone would neglect their animals. Often, there are other underlying problems, but, of course, there can be no excuse for the mistreatment of any animal. Persistent offenders must be dealt with under the law.

Given the severity of the offences, it is not surprising that it received wider media attention. A press release was issued to all media in mid to late afternoon, although the BBC was already in pole position to provide an in-depth report.

The story made BBC headlines in the main evening news bulletin on the same day and included an interview with the head of DARD’s central enforcement team. The same chain of events surrounded a similar case in February 2015, which also ended up on the main evening television news.

From the outside, it looked as though the BBC had been lined up to ensure that the case received maximum public exposure. But what was the purpose? Was it to bring ultimate public shame on the farmer involved? Surely a criminal conviction and effectively closing down a farm business is shame enough.

Or was it to warn other farmers that DARD means business when it comes to animal welfare? Surely there is enough fear of DARD inspectors within the farming community as it is.

In the end, it was a story that is not reflective of the majority of farmers. We look forward to the day when similar coverage is given to people caught and convicted of stealing machinery and livestock from the farming community.