Jasmine Hartin: Lord Michael Ashcroft's Daughter-in-Law Could Avoid Jail Time in Belize Cop's Fatal Shooting

Jasmine Hartin, who is the daughter-in-law of British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft, has been pictured by local media in jail after being charged with manslaughter by negligence in the shooting death of a Belize cop.

Jasmine Hartin was reported to have the possibility of escaping prison sentencing by just paying a huge fine, Daily Mail reported.

The daughter-in-law of British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft has been in custody since Friday after Superintendent Henry Jemmott was found floating dead in the water off San Pedro island.

The 32-year-old socialite, in her statement to police, said that she invited the veteran Belize cop to her apartment, where they drank and discussed her security.

Hartin was arraigned in clandestine on Monday in San Pedro despite authorities insisting that she would not receive any special treatment.

Jasmine Hartin's Case

Police removed reporters and members of the public from the building before she was taken from a concrete holding cell to the court.

Officers said that COVID social distancing rules prohibit assemblies of more than 10 people. More than double that number stood in a waiting room earlier in the day.

Hartin's attorney Godfrey Smith exited the courthouse and said his client had been denied bail. Thus, he noted that the socialite would remain in a Belize prison, according to a Sky News report. Smith said they would be appealing to the Supreme Court.

Jasmine Hartin is the wife of Andrew Ashcroft, the youngest son of Lord Michael Ashcroft.

Belize Cop's Shooting

Henry Jemmott was found in the water with a gunshot wound behind his ear. Police said that the weapon used was his service pistol, Daily Beast reported.

Henry Jemmott and Jasmine Hartin were said to be playing around with the gun before the shooting took place. The socialite reportedly had "what appeared to be blood on her arms and on her clothing" when she was found on a dock near where the Belize cop's body was discovered.

Local reports said that Jasmine Hartin suggested to responding officers that the Belize cop might have been shot by a passing boat.

She then stopped cooperating with investigators while one of the Central American nation's top lawyers was retained for her.

Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams said that Jasmine Hartin did not want to cooperate with authorities at first and insisted on waiting for her lawyer to be present.

Williams said that the incident appeared to be not an attack as the two were friends and had been drinking at the time. Investigation also revealed that they were alone on the pier, but the Belize cop and the socialite were both fully clothed.

Jasmine Hartin and Andrew Ashcroft

Jasmine Hartin and her husband, who had two kids, were connected with a local resort in Belize, according to their LinkedIn accounts.

Andrew's father, Lord Michael Ashcroft, is a billionaire known to be the top donor to the United Kingdom Conservative Party.

He was also known to have massive businesses in Belize. The billionaire had also recently donated a fully equipped gym to the police department.

Jasmine Hartin was reportedly a Director of Lifestyle & Experience at the newly opened Alaia Belize Resort developed by her husband.

The punishment for manslaughter can be life in prison up to 25 years based on the Belizean criminal system. However, Hartin was reported to be facing a maximum of five years.

Sources familiar with the island's secretive justice system said that the alternative punishment could be a fine of about $20,000 Belizean dollars or $10,000 in U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, the Belize Police Department has yet to issue a statement regarding the matter.

WATCH: Daughter-in-Law of Lord Ashcroft Questioned Over Police Death in Belize - From Newzee