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0 Socialite Jasmine Hartin was ‘very drunk’ on the night she accidentally shot dead a Belizean police chief, her estranged partner has claimed.
Hartin, 33, has always maintained that while she had consumed a few drinks, she was not drunk on the night Superintendent Henry Jemmott was killed.
But her former partner Andrew Ashcroft – the younger son of Tory grandee Lord Ashcroft – has claimed the mother of his children was ‘drinking heavily’ before the shooting in May 2021. In a statement submitted to the court, he claimed she had as many as eight wines and some shots at a party on the evening of the incident.
Hartin, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by negligence over the death, vehemently denied the allegations last night and said there was no evidence to back up Mr Ashcroft’s claims.
The former couple, who have twins together, had been running Mr Ashcroft’s luxury Grand Colony Resort in San Pedro on the holiday island of Ambergris Caye together at the time of the shooting. They parted ways soon after Hartin’s arrest and are embroiled in a bitter custody battle.
Socialite Jasmine Hartin was ‘very drunk’ on the night she accidentally shot dead a Belizean police chief, her estranged partner has claimed
Her former partner Andrew Ashcroft (pictured)– the younger son of Tory grandee Lord Ashcroft – has claimed the mother of his children was ‘drinking heavily’ before the shooting in May 2021
Hartin has admitted she shot Superintendent Henry Jemmott (pictured) when his gun went off by accident while she handled it as they had a late-night drink together on a pier in May 2021
Mr Ashcroft, 45, said in his statement that they had attended a party at the Sunset Lounge until about 11pm on May 28, 2021.
‘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,’ he said. ‘While doing her hair and makeup… she consumed about two to three glasses of wine with her hair and makeup artist. When we arrived at the party, at about 7pm, Jasmine continued to consume alcohol and had at least four to five more drinks. I observed her doing shots.’
Mr Ashcroft said that when the couple arrived back at the hotel, Hartin asked him to join her for drinks with her friend 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.
Mr Ashcroft, 45, (left, with Hartin) said in his statement that they had attended a party at the Sunset Lounge until about 11pm on May 28, 2021
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’s spokesman Louisa Chiaramonte strongly denied the allegations on her behalf. She said: ‘There was no mention in any of the official case disclosures or police statements that indicated Ms Hartin was intoxicated in any way, no blood alcohol tests were done as they (the police) did not see any sign of intoxication.
‘These statements by Andrew Ashcroft were not accepted into evidence by the court, and were submitted last minute, clearly with the intended strategy of then leaking them to the media in order to further defame and slander the reputation of Ms Hartin.’
Hartin insists that Mr Jemmott’s death was a ‘horrible accident’. He was shot after offering to teach her how to use a Glock-17 for protection. Hartin said the gun went off as she tried to hand him the magazine.
