Rapper Ghetts sentenced to 12 years after causing student’s death in hit and run

Rapper and Netflix star Ghetts will spend 12 years in prison after killing a young man in a hit-and-run.

Last year, the 41-year-old – real name Justin Jude Clarke-Samuel – was charged with causing death by dangerous driving following a hit-and-run in Ilford, London, in October. He later pleaded guilty to the charge in December.

At the time, Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, said Clarke-Samuel was facing an inevitable custodial sentence over the death of Yubin Tamang, 20.

On Tuesday, the defendant wore all black in the dock when he appeared at the Old Bailey, with the judge handing down a sentence of 12 years, acknowledging that he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Judge Lucraft told the court: ‘A sentence before plea would have been one of 16 years imprisonment.

‘In my judgment, the aggravating features set out would take the sentence to the top of the identified range of sentence before the mitigating features I’ve identified then bring it down to the sentence that I’ve just indicated, taking into allowance your plea of guilty, a sentence of 12 years imprisonment.’

It was then explained to Clarke-Samuel that he will serve two-thirds of his sentence before being released on license for the remainder of it. He must also pay the prosecution costs of £1,600. He’s also been disqualified from driving for 17 years.

During the televised sentencing, Judge Lucraft told Clarke-Samuel that CCTV footage showed a ‘quite appalling litany of incidents’ leading up to the fatal collision which was ‘simply shocking’.

The judge noted the father-of-two’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.

‘Your music has provided you with a following and with significant financial rewards and I acknowledge that you have used both the music and the money it has given you to good effect and have done much to support many others,’ he told the musician.

‘As you set out, you have done much to help others over the last 10 years and all that good work is marred by driving in drink and taking the life of another young man.’

Tamang was an only child and had been sent to the UK from Nepal by his parents to receive an education. In a statement read on their behalf outside court, the victim’s parents, Sharmila and Bikash Tamang, said: ‘We speak today with hearts broken beyond repair. Our only child, a precious soul, has been taken from us far too soon.

‘He came to the UK to study and create a better life for himself and his family. Justin Clarke-Samuel has stolen our son’s future and ours with it.

‘We are relieved that Justin Clarke-Samuel pleaded guilty and that he has now been jailed, but we can never forgive him for what he has done.’

Outlining the facts, prosecutor Philip McGhee said Clarke-Samuel had been drinking alcohol on the evening 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 up to 70mph before the crash.

The defendant initially said he had drunk three glasses of brandy with a meal at a restaurant, later indicating he had been at Omi Lounge in Wells Street.

As he drove his BMW M5 at speed back towards his home in Woodford, east London, he failed to stop at six red traffic lights.

He repeatedly veered onto the wrong side of the road, mounted the curb and collided with a motorcyclist and a Mercedes, causing damage.

He was going more than 60mph in a 30mph road before he hit Tamang as he crossed Redbridge Lane, Ilford, at 11.33pm.

‘Mr Tamang was still crossing the road. He could do nothing to avoid a collision. The defendant’s BMW ploughed into him. Mr Tamang was catapulted into the air before crashing down on the roadway. He sustained catastrophic injuries,’ Mr McGhee said in court.

‘The defendant nonetheless continued to drive his car along Redbridge Lane East and for around another eight miles, for over a quarter of an hour after the collision, before completing his journey close to his home address at 11.48pm.’

Ghetts is a British grime MC, rapper, songwriter and actor who released his debut album Rebel with a Cause in 2014.

During the sentencing the court heard he made no call to emergency services to assist Tamang, who was a keen musician and hip-hop fan himself, had been studying at University of Roehampton when he was struck.

The court was shown a compilation of CCTV of Clarke-Samuel’s erratic driving including graphic footage of the moment he hit Tamang.

Afterwards, an Uber driver saw what he initially thought was a ‘bundle of clothes in the road’ and called 999 on realising Tamang was seriously injured.

Another motorist stopped and carried out first aid before emergency services arrived.

After police went to Clarke-Samuel’s Woodford in the early hours of the next day, they reported smelling alcohol on his breath before arresting him.

Officers also found his black BMW was significantly damaged with a smashed windscreen and had damage to the front bumper.

The court was told the defendant had claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him.

However, a careful examination of the CCTV footage found no evidence he was being followed or pursued at any stage, McGhee said.

Clarke-Samuel’s had 12 previous convictions for 27 crimes.

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, his roommate Sushant Khadka shared: ‘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 mitigation, Ben Aina KC read out extracts of a letter Clarke-Samuel had written apologising to Tamang’s family.

The rapper stated: ‘I write from a place of extreme regret, shame and remorse. I am fully aware that there are no number of apologies that I can say which will soothe the pain that the family and friends of Mr Tamang must feel.

‘This may be the only chance that I get to apologise. It was truly an unintentional act on my part, and I am so sincerely sorry for the suffering and emotional distress that I have caused.’

Explaining the cause of the defendant’s fears he was being pursued, Aina said that in 2017 his client had been robbed at gunpoint at a studio and although it had been reported to police, the assailants were never caught.

The incident then saw the rapper provided with a driver while working, while he also usually took taxis when going out.

Ghetts performed at Glastonbury in 2024, and has featured in tracks alongside Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, amassing millions of plays on Spotify with tracks including One Take, Skengman and IC3.

In 2021, he won the best male act at the Mobo Awards and has also been nominated for a Mercury Prize, and last year received the Mobo Pioneer Award for his significant contribution to British Black culture.

He also starred as a gang leader called Krazy in the Netflix sci-fi series Supacell, which followed five black south Londoners who unexpectedly develop superpowers.

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