SOCIALITE Jasmine Hartin was released from a horror prison in Belize on Thursday after her arrested over the death of a top police officer.
Lord Ashcroft’s daughter-in-law was freed after posting or $15,000 (£10,500) bail – having claimed she accidentally shot San Pedro Superintendent Henry Jemmott when practicing reloading his gun on a boozy night out last month.
The 32-year-old – married to billionaire Lord Ashcroft's son Andrew – was freed after a court heard she was suffering “extreme anxiety and distress"
The judge ruled that the Canadian native would not pose a flight risk as the prosecution had argued, granting her access to go home to her 4-year-old twins.
"In the end, the judge felt that there was not an unacceptable risk of flight once the appropriate conditions could be put in place," Hartin’s attorney Godfrey Smith told reporters outside the Belize courtroom.
Hartin's bail conditions require the socialite to surrender her passport and ID.
She must also report daily to a police station and submit any travel requests to authorities.
She had spent over a week at the notorious Central Belize Prison since shooting her friend Jemmott, 42.
The move to grant Hartin bail has already been given flack in Belize, where local officials have been receiving backlash given allegations that Hartin was given special treatment due to her wealth.
Prosecutors had opposed bail, arguing that she posed a flight risk.
She can’t leave the central American nation, where she has lived for seven years.
Hartin, facing five years in jail for manslaughter by negligence, claims that Supt Jemmott’s gun went off by accident.
Jemmott, who had a common-law wife Romit Wilson, had been drinking shots with Hartin before she handled the weapon.
On Wednesday, Judge Justice Herbert Lord ordered Hartin to follow a curfew at her home between 7pm and 6am.
And Hartin is expected to report daily to a police station.
A further £10,500 will have to be paid if Hartin breaks her bail conditions.
She was warned by the judge that bail would be revoked if she makes any attempt to obstruct the investigation.
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