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.
The pier where Henry Jemmott’s body was found. Pic: AP/7 News Belize
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.