In a case that has sent shockwaves through the British music industry and the Nepalese community in London, award-winning rapper Ghetts—real name Justin Clarke-Samuel—was sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing a university student in a harrowing hit-and-run incident. The sentencing, delivered by Judge Mark Lucraft KC at the Old Bailey on March 3, 2026, marked the end of a legal saga that began with a fatal collision on a quiet London street in October 2025 and unfolded in the glare of national attention.
According to the Metropolitan Police and testimony heard in court, the events unfolded late on the night of October 18, 2025. Clarke-Samuel, 41, was behind the wheel of his black BMW M5, speeding through the streets of north-east London after an evening out. Prosecutor Philip McGhee told the court that the rapper was driving at speeds up to 74 mph in a 30 mph zone and was one and a half times over the legal drink-drive limit. He had been drinking alcohol, with Clarke-Samuel initially claiming to have consumed three glasses of brandy with a meal at a restaurant, later stating he had been at Omi Lounge in Wells Street.
As he made his way home to King’s Avenue, Woodford, Clarke-Samuel failed to stop at six red traffic lights, repeatedly veered onto the wrong side of the road, mounted the curb, and was involved in a collision with a Mercedes and a motorcyclist. The erratic driving was captured on CCTV, which was later shown in court. At 11:33 p.m., as 20-year-old Yubin Tamang, a Nepalese student, was crossing Redbridge Lane in Ilford, the BMW ploughed into him. Mr. McGhee described the moment in stark terms: “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.”
Despite the severity of the crash, Clarke-Samuel did not stop to help. Instead, he continued driving for another eight miles—about a quarter of an hour—before parking near his home at 11:48 p.m. He made no call to emergency services. An Uber driver, who initially thought there was a bundle of clothes in the road, called 999 upon realizing the gravity of the situation. Another motorist stopped and attempted first aid before paramedics arrived. Tragically, Mr. Tamang died in hospital two days later from his injuries.
Police officers arrived at Clarke-Samuel’s home in the early hours of October 19 and immediately noticed the smell of alcohol on his breath. They found his BMW with a smashed windscreen and significant damage to the front bumper. The investigation revealed that Clarke-Samuel had also been involved in dangerous driving on other London roads that night, including in Camden, Islington, and Hackney, and had narrowly avoided hitting a cyclist. The court heard that he had 12 previous convictions for 27 crimes, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking, and other driving offences.
During the proceedings, Clarke-Samuel’s defense, led by Benjamin Aina KC, read aloud a letter from the rapper in which he expressed his deep remorse: “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.” Clarke-Samuel also acknowledged the aggravating factors in the case, including his erratic driving and failure to stop or contact emergency services. “I want Mr Tamang’s family to know that I am so truly sorry. I offer no excuses, and I have let my family and community down,” he wrote.
In a statement delivered through tears and with the aid of an interpreter, Mr. Tamang’s mother, Sharmila Tamang, spoke of the unimaginable loss her family suffered: “We feel extreme pain and an unimaginable sense of loss. What we have felt is something that we have to endure. My son had dreamed of further education and had come to the UK. He wanted to gain a degree from here because it is well recognised in the world. Unfortunately, this tragic event happened near our home while he was returning home from work.” Mr. Tamang was an only child, sent to the UK by his parents to pursue his studies and dreams—a dream cut tragically short.
The court also heard from Mr. Tamang’s roommate, Sushant Khadka, who described the victim as a young man full of ambition and plans for the future. “Yubin was only 20 years old. He had dreams, ambition, plans for his future,” Khadka’s statement read. The loss, he said, had “permanently affected the lives of others.”
Clarke-Samuel’s defense suggested that his erratic behavior behind the wheel stemmed from a lingering fear after a traumatic robbery at gunpoint in 2017. Although he claimed to have believed he was being followed on the night of the crash, prosecutors said a thorough review of CCTV footage found no evidence to support this claim.
Ghetts, whose career has been marked by critical acclaim and mainstream success, was a two-time Mercury Prize nominee, winner of Best Male Act at the 2021 MOBO Awards, and recipient of the MOBO Pioneer Award in 2024. He had collaborated with leading artists such as Skepta, Stormzy, and Ed Sheeran, and performed at Glastonbury multiple times, including in 2024. His acting credits included a role as gang leader Krazy in the Netflix sci-fi series Supacell, which tells the story of five black south Londoners who unexpectedly develop superpowers.
Despite his public profile and charitable work, the judge made clear that the gravity of Clarke-Samuel’s actions demanded a significant custodial sentence. The rapper was also disqualified from driving with immediate effect and has been in custody since his preliminary court appearance on October 27, 2025.
The case has resonated deeply, not only among fans of Ghetts and observers of the UK music scene, but also within the Nepalese community and the broader public. It has become a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of dangerous and impaired driving, regardless of status or past achievements. As the dust settles, the loss of a young life full of promise and the fall of a celebrated artist stand as stark, cautionary tales for all.