Bold headline: A rising star of grime faces a grave consequence after a deadly hit-and-run. And this is the part most people miss: the details behind a tragic evening that reshaped lives forever.
Ghetts, the British rapper whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for causing the death of a student in a hit-and-run incident while he was speeding and above the legal limit for alcohol. The court heard that he failed to stop after his BMW struck Nepalese student Yubin Tamang, who was 20 years old, in north-east London. Clarke-Samuel acknowledged dangerous driving and causing death by dangerous driving during the proceedings.
In court, Tamang’s mother, Sharmila Tamang, broke down as she spoke of the night she lost her only child while he was in the UK pursuing his studies. She recalled that Yubin came to the country seeking what he believed to be the world’s best education, but his life was cut short on his way home from work.
A fellow student and roommate of Tamang, Sushant Khadka, read a statement to the court highlighting Yubin’s youth and potential. He described a life full of dreams and a future that was abruptly disrupted by the collision, noting the lasting impact on those who knew him.
During a televised sentencing at the Old Bailey, the court’s senior judge, Mark Lucraft KC, sentenced Clarke-Samuel to 12 years in prison and disqualified him from driving for 17 years. The judge referenced CCTV footage that depicted a troubling sequence of events leading up to the crash, calling it an appalling and shocking chain of conduct.
Prosecutors said Clarke-Samuel had been drinking at Omi Lounge in central London on the night of the incident and was allegedly more than one-and-a-half times over the legal limit. He was said to have been driving at speeds exceeding 70 mph and to have run red lights multiple times, veered across lanes, mounted the curb, and collided with a motorcyclist and a Mercedes, before the fatal collision with Yubin Tamang on Redbridge Lane in Ilford at around 11:33 pm. After the crash, Clarke-Samuel did not stop, did not contact emergency services, and allegedly returned home about eight miles away. Tamang died in hospital two days later.
Police found Clarke-Samuel’s BMW damaged and detected alcohol on his breath when they arrived at his home in the early hours of the following day. While the defendant claimed he drove dangerously out of fear of being pursued—an assertion not supported by CCTV evidence—his lawyer linked this fear to a prior robbery at gunpoint for which the assailants were never caught.
The defendant, a father of two, has a long record, with 12 previous convictions spanning 27 crimes from age 16, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking, and other driving offences.
The judge acknowledged Clarke-Samuel’s apparent remorse and noted letters of support, including from his partner, which described how he had used his music career to contribute positively to his community.
Ghetts is a prominent rapper and songwriter who has worked with artists such as Skepta, Stormzy, and Ed Sheeran, and who has performed at Glastonbury several times, with recent appearances in 2024. He has received recognition including Best Male Act at the 2021 MOBO Awards and the MOBO Pioneer Award in 2024.
If you have thoughts on this case or opinions about accountability and road safety, share them in the comments. Do you think the sentence adequately reflects the harm caused, or should there be additional considerations for individuals with high-profile public profiles?
