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The rapper Ghetts has been jailed for 12 years for killing a student in a hit and run while speeding and over the drink-drive limit.
The grime artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, failed to stop after his BMW hit the Nepalese national Yubin Tamang, 20, in north-east London. He admitted dangerous driving and causing death by dangerous driving.
Weeping in court, Tamang’s mother, Sharmila Tamang, said: “My son had come for studies to this place but, because of somebody’s mistakes, he has died at a very small age. Yubin was our only child. My son had come for his studies to the UK saying the UK had the best degree in the world. But on his way back from his work this happened and he lost his life.”
In a statement read to the court, Tamang’s roommate, Sushant Khadka, said: “Yubin was only 20 years old. He had dreams, ambition, plans for his future.”
He said the incident had not only led to the loss of a life “full of promise”, it had also permanently affected the lives of others.
In a televised sentencing, the Old Bailey’s most 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 “quite appalling litany of incidents” leading up to the fatal collision, which he described as “simply shocking”.
The prosecutor, Philip McGhee, said Clarke-Samuel had been drinking alcohol at Omi Lounge in Wells Street in central London on the evening of Saturday 18 October 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 traffic lights and repeatedly veered on to 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 going 67mph in a 30mph zone before he hit Tamang as he crossed Redbridge Lane in Ilford at 11.33pm. Clarke-Samuel failed to stop, made no call to emergency services, and drove the eight 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 found his black BMW was significantly damaged.
The court was told the defendant had claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him but no evidence of a pursuit was found on CCTV. His lawyer said this fear stemmed from an incident in which he had been robbed at gunpoint, for which the assailants were never caught.
Clarke-Samuel, a father of two, had 12 previous convictions for 27 crimes from the age of 16; including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and driving offences.
The judge noted the musician’s “genuine remorse” and letters of support – including from his partner – setting out 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 tracks 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.
