Jasmine Hartin, the former partner of Lord Ashcroft’s son Andrew, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by negligence in the shooting of a Belizean police chief.
The 33-year-old broke down in tears on Tuesday as she admitted the charge, bring to a close a two-year criminal probe which has made headlines around the world.
“I just want Henry’s family to have peace now and I want this whole thing to be behind all of us so we can heal.”
Speaking outside of court, the Canadian socialite said
Due to her guilty plea she is now set to receive a fine and may also be ordered to pay compensation to the victim’s family.
When Hartin entered her plea in the afternoon, the judge told her: “Jasmine Hartin, you have pleaded guilty to an indictment charging you with manslaughter by negligence.
“All that remains for me to do is to sentence you, which I will do on May 31 this year.”
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”.
Hartin’s lawyer 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”.
Her lawyers had requested a last-minute adjournment to consider pleading guilty. The court will next sit for a sentencing hearing which is expected to take place on May 31.
With tears streaming down her face and visibly shaking, Hartin’s voice trembled as she stood in the small wooden dock to enter her last-minute plea in the packed courtroom.
She was watched by the dead officer’s sisters and his daughter who have stoically attended court proceedings since he was killed almost two years ago.
The father of five was killed by a shot to the head while enjoying a late-night drink with Hartin on the pier near Mr Ashcroft’s luxury hotel on the island of Ambergris Caye.
