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WorldSocialite fined £30,000 for killing police friend

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Socialite fined £30,000 for killing police friend

Socialite Jasmine Hartin received a £30,000 fine yesterday night for using his own gun to kill the Belizean police chief.

Jasmine, the ex-girlfriend of Conservative oligarch Lord Ashcroft’s son Andrew, admitted killing the cop, Henry Jemmott, who was also a friend of hers, in May 2021.

Hartin, 33, first refuted guilt in Mr. Jemmott’s death but later agreed to a plea agreement.

She received a £30,000 fine and 300 hours of community service on Tuesday night.

The socialite has also been asked to record a video of herself educating others about the impact of ‘drinking and making foolish decisions’.

Mr Jemmott was killed by a shot to the head while he and Hartin were drinking together late at night on a pier in 2021, near Mr Ashcroft’s luxury hotel on the island of Ambergris Caye.

Hartin claimed Mr Jemmott had offered to teach her how to use his Glock-17 pistol for her protection.

She wept in court as she entered a guilty plea to manslaughter by negligence at the last-minute before her trial was due to take place.

Mr Jemmott’s widow Romit Wilson, 39, criticised Hartin’s behaviour throughout the court case, accusing the socialite of conducting an ‘international PR campaign’.

Ms Wilson, who had three children with Mr Jemmott, broke her silence to tell the Daily Mail Hartin had sought to portray herself as the victim.

She told the Mail: ‘I have not given any interviews to any media houses since the day Henry was killed.

‘I have focused on our children, taking care of them and dealing with our grief. I know they say grief comes in waves, but ours has been constant.

‘My children and I have had to endure Ms Hartin recounting in interview after interview, in full documentaries even, details of that awful night, details of her friendship with Henry and even details about my relationship with Henry.

‘She said she pleaded guilty to not put us through the anguish of a trial. I wish she had also thought about that before her international PR campaign.’

The Jemmott family’s lawyer, Leslie Mendez, also criticised Hartin for trying to ‘inject uncertainty’ over her plea. Ms Mendez said: ‘You cannot waffle on the veracity of your guilty plea and, at the same time, maintain you want the family to have peace and heal.

‘It is reprehensible to inject uncertainty into the public discourse and the minds of his family when what they want is the truth and justice.’

A civil case is due to go before the courts in Belize at the conclusion of criminal proceedings against Hartin.

While on bail awaiting trial, Hartin gave several interviews in print and on camera. She has also featured in the documentary One Bullet in Belize on US streaming service Discovery+.

Hartin has described in graphic detail how she ‘accidentally’ shot the officer as they enjoyed a late-night drink.

She said she ‘wriggled out’ from under the heavily built officer and was left covered in his blood.

Her former partner Andrew Ashcroft has said Hartin was ‘very drunk’ on the night of the incident.

Mr Ashcroft’s claims contradicted Hartin’s assertion she had only consumed a few drinks and was not intoxicated on the night Mr Jemmott was killed.

The couple separated shortly after the incident and have since been embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their twin children.

Mr Ashcroft, 45, said in his statement that they had attended a party at the Sunset Lounge until about 11pm on May 28, 2021.

He said: ‘Jasmine had been drinking heavily and had started consuming alcohol while getting ready to attend the party and continued to do so at the party.’

Mr Ashcroft said after the couple arrived back at the hotel, Hartin asked him to join her for drinks with Mr Jemmott, who was staying at the resort.

‘Jasmine appeared very drunk at this point,’ he added, saying he declined and offered to stay with the children before going to bed.

The father described the moment he was woken by staff to be informed of the shooting at 1am.

‘I saw Jasmine standing in front of the Mata Rocks Pier covered in blood about 30 yards from me.’

Hartin has denied the claims she was drunk.

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