Prominent barriser Michael Abbott QC brought in to fight animal cruelty charges against surgeon’s wife

A WOMAN accused of starving her cattle on the Fleurieu Peninsula has engaged a prominent Adelaide QC to fight the charges against her.

1/1/14 Magistrate Court. Adelaide Court Exteriors. (Roger Wyman)

A WOMAN accused of starving her cattle on the Fleurieu Peninsula has engaged one of Adelaide’s most prominent QCs to represent her.

Susan Gristwood, the wife of surgeon Ronald Gristwood, told the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday she will also be paying a vet to inspect her stock and possibly argue against the RSPCA’s report of the herd’s condition.

The charges relate to 29 allegedly underfed cattle and the claimed neglect of her entire 40-strong herd at their Hindmarsh Tiers property between July and September last year.

The court heard there will be a dispute between the parties as to the role a lice infestation played in the alleged malnourishment of the herd.

Defence lawyers said Mrs Gristwood, 63, had engaged the services of prominent QC, Michael Abbott, to fight the charges against her.

The charges had initially also been laid against Mr Gristwood, who has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his specialist work, but were later dropped by the RSPCA.

The matter will return to court in December.