Lord Ashcroft’s daughter-in-law murder case seems too outlandish even for TV’s Death in Paradise
ARMS raised towards the bars of a sweltering concrete cell in Central America, Jasmine Hartin stands accused of no ordinary crime.
The glamorous daughter-in-law of billionaire Tory businessman Lord Ashcroft has been charged with shooting a policeman dead in bizarre circumstances.
What is rumoured to have taken place on the Caribbean coast of Belize in the early hours of Friday morning seems too outlandish even for the TV drama Death In Paradise.
Police reports say a single gunshot rang out on a short pier in the popular tourist resort of San Pedro in the former British colony.
When officers arrived, Jasmine, who is married to the youngest son of Tory donor Lord Ashcroft, was found with “what appeared to be blood on her arms and clothing”.
‘EMOTIONAL STATE’
Floating in the water close by was the body of Superintendent Henry Jemmott, 42, with a fatal bullet wound behind his right ear.
Hartin, a Canadian, was in an “emotional state” when a local security guard arrived on the scene.
When officers wanted to question the socialite about what had happened to their colleague she initially refused to give an account — but has since claimed his death was an accident.
Yesterday Hartin, 38, was charged with manslaughter by negligence.
Even though Supt Jemmott had requested “personal leave” prior to his death, suicide was not considered likely.
And while there was an early suggestion that a bullet could have been fired from a passing boat, it was only when Hartin’s lawyer arrived that she was ready to give her account of events on the pier.
Leaked reports state that the mum-of-two told police that she had been giving the cop a back massage on the small wooden jetty after he asked her to relieve some shoulder pain.
The officer asked Hartin to hand him his Glock pistol, which he had left on the jetty — and as she passed it back to him it accidentally went off.
Local media say that as his lifeless body fell on Hartin, who is significantly smaller than him, she pushed him away and he landed in the warm waters.
Chester Williams, the Belize police commissioner, said: “We cannot say we have a clear understanding of what happened.
“The only two people who could have said that to us were the deceased and Ms Hartin.”
Hartin runs the luxury Alaia hotel on the island of Ambergris Cayeand with her husband Andrew Ashcroft, 43, who played a key role in its development.
The boutique complex, which opened its doors this year, is one of many businesses the Ashcroft family owns in Belize.
Lord Ashcroft, 75, is the former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and is the founder of the Crimestoppers charity in the UK.
Like his father, British-born Andrew is said to spend most of his time in Belize, where he has citizenship.
'OLD FRIEND'
Supt Jemmott had been involved with policing in San Pedro and got to know the Ashcroft family.
Hartin is believed to have made the short walk from her hotel to the jetty near the Mata Rocks hotel in San Pedro on Thursday evening to meet him.
She has been described as an “old friend” of his. The cop’s relatives denied their meeting could have been romantic.
Commissioner Williams said both of them “were fully clothed” following the shooting, so a sexual encounter does not appear to have taken place.
Father-of-five Supt Jemmott, who has a partner of 14 years, is said to have gone to the resort to relax after enduring personal issues. His sister Cherry, who is an assistant superintendent with Belize police, dismissed the idea that he was suicidal.
She said: “My brother would never ever kill himself. He had his plans.
“In September he was to be promoted to senior superintendent and he was to be transferred to another unit.”
The police say the pair had been drinking for a “couple of hours” prior to the weapon being discharged.
The shooting happened half an hour after midnight, which meant both of them had broken the country’s 10pm Covid curfew.
A single gunshot was heard — which is not uncommon in Belize, where drug gangs carry out turf wars and violent crime is high. But it is not expected on the tourist beaches visited by wealthy foreigners from across the globe.
There are no CCTV cameras in the vicinity of the pier and at the moment no one appears to have witnessed the tragedy unfold.
On her arrest, Hartin exercised her right to remain silent until her lawyer arrived.
‘GIVE THE FAMILY CLOSURE’
She has now given a statement to officers, but Commissioner Williams would not be drawn on its contents when pressed by the media.
Now Hartin’s legal team are trying to get her out of the dirty cell in San Pedro where she is being held.
She has been refused bail and will have to endure the hellish conditions for at least another night.
Hartin awaits transfer to the country’s central prison in Hattieville.
Exact sentencing guidelines in Belize are unclear, but if found guilty of manslaughter by negligence it is believed she could face anything between a £7,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence.
If she pleads guilty her account will not be heard in court. But one of Supt Jemmott’s sisters hopes to hear answers from Hartin.
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Retired social worker Marie Jemmott Tzul said: “What I would say to Jasmine is, give closure to the family. Tell us what happened.
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“We want to know for the benefit of our family. He was my only brother.
“Every time I look at my nieces and my nephews I break down and cry. Please tell us what happened.”