private function checkRecordExists($table, $column, $value) {
		
		if (!$value) {
			return FALSE;
		}
		
		// build the query
		$query = 'SELECT COUNT(1) FROM `' . $table . '` WHERE ' . $column . ' = ?';
		
		// search the record into the db
		return (bool)Database::load($query, (array) $value, 'count');
		
	}