Rapper Ghetts has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing a student in a hit-and-run due to speeding and driving under the influence over the limit.
The grime artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, was unable to stop after his BMW hit Nepalese national Yubin Tamang, 20, in north-east London. Admitted dangerous driving and causing death by dangerous driving.
Weeping in court, Tamang’s mother Sharmila Tamang said: “My son had come to study in this place but due to someone’s mistakes, he died at a very young age. Yubin was our only son. My son had come to study in the UK saying that the UK had the best career in the world. But on his way back from work this happened and he lost his life.”
In a statement read out in court, Tamang’s roommate Sushant Khadka said: “Yubin was just 20 years old. He had dreams, ambitions and plans for his future.”
He said the incident not only led to the loss of a life “full of promise” but also permanently affected the lives of others.
In a televised sentencing, the Old Bailey’s senior judge, Mark Lucraft KC, sentenced Clarke-Samuel to 12 years in prison and disqualified him from driving for 17 years. He said CCTV footage showed a “pretty gruesome litany of incidents” leading up to the fatal collision, which he described as “simply shocking”.
Prosecutor Philip McGhee said Clarke-Samuel had been drinking alcohol at Omi Lounge in Wells Street, central London, on the night of Saturday, October 18, 2025. He was said to be one and a half times over the legal drink-drive limit and was driving at speeds of more than 70mph before the crash.
He failed to stop at six red lights and repeatedly turned onto the wrong side of the road, mounted the curb and collided with a motorcyclist and a Mercedes, causing damage, the court was told.
He was doing 67mph in a 30mph zone before hitting Tamang as he crossed Redbridge Lane in Ilford at 11.33pm Clarke-Samuel did not stop, did not call the emergency services and drove the five miles back to his home. Tamang died in hospital two days later.
Police went to Clarke-Samuel’s home in the early hours of the next day and smelled alcohol on his breath before arresting him. Officers discovered his black BMW was severely damaged.
The court was told the defendant had claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him, but no evidence of pursuit was found on CCTV. His lawyer said that this fear was due to an incident in which he had been robbed at gunpoint, so the attackers were never caught.
Father-of-two Clarke-Samuel had 12 previous convictions for 27 offenses since he was 16; including robbery, aggravated vehicle theft and driving violations.
The judge highlighted the musician’s “genuine remorse” and letters of support (including from his partner) explaining how he had used his career in music to make a positive impact on his community.
Ghetts is a rapper and songwriter who has collaborated on songs with Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, and performed at Glastonbury several times, most recently in 2024.
He won Best Male Act at the 2021 Mobo Awards and received the Mobo Pioneer Award in 2024.
