Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by negligence over the shooting of a police superintendent in Belize.
The former partner of Conservative grandee Lord Ashcroft’s son Andrew entered the plea at the Supreme Court in Belize City over the death of 42-year-old Henry Jemmott. Her trial had been due to start today.
Outside the court, Hartin said: “I just want Henry’s family to have peace now and I want this whole thing behind all of us so we can heal”, Channel 5 Belize news reported.
The channel also reported that Hartin asked the court for a sentence indication and that the judge explained that there is a likelihood that she could be handed a non-custodial sentence, which would be a fine and or compensation to the family.
Read more: Daughter-in-law of Tory grandee Lord Ashcroft arrested after police officer shot dead in Belize
Hartin was found on a dock near where the body of Superintendent Jemmott was discovered in the town of San Pedro in May 2021 after reports of a gunshot.
Police Commissioner Chester C Williams told local media that a single gunshot was heard “and upon investigating, police found the female on a pier, and she had what appeared to be blood on her arms and on her clothing”.
He added that a firearm which belonged and was assigned to the father-of-five was retrieved from the pier.
Police said Hartin and Mr Jemmott were friends.
Hartin’s attorney, Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington, told reporters his client’s main concern “was to not put the family of the victim through the anguish of having to go through a trial proceeding, so she consistently expressed her concern about that”.
The sentence hearing is expected to take place on 31 May, according to Channel 5 Belize.
It also reported Mr Elrington saying that because Hartin opted to plead guilty, the judge is expected to stick to his word of giving her a non-custodial sentence.