landowner

Mr Barton said the government's attempts to target the wealthiest landowners who were investing in farms to avoid inheritance tax could see small farms like his ultimately sold off.

However, major landowners and landgrabbers often clear huge areas to use them as pastures or for arable farming.

That has brought the disease to the door of landowners like Martin Cunningham who is a fourth generation farmer on Divis.

When the landowner found a knife on the ground, the two had a confrontation.

Mr Grindal, who has two sons, aged 17 and 19, said he could be hit twice by the changes – on handing down the family farm, and if landowners sell off the land he rents.