Nigeria British rapper Ghetts, real name Justin Clarke-Samuel, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for causing the death of 20-year-old university student Yubin Tamang by dangerous driving in a high-speed hit-and-run collision in north-east London.
The 41-year-old, from Woodford Green, east London, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, February 28, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and a separate count of dangerous driving.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC described Clarke-Samuel’s driving as a “quite appalling litany of incidents” that was “simply shocking,” noting he was driving at more than 60mph in a 30mph zone when he struck Tamang as the young man crossed Redbridge Lane East, Ilford, on the evening of October 18, 2025.
Follow DDNewsOnline on Facebook For More Breaking News
The judge also disqualified Clarke-Samuel from driving for 17 years. Details of the Crash Prosecutor Philip McGhee told the court that Clarke-Samuel had been drinking alcohol that evening approximately one and a half times over the legal limit and was returning home from a restaurant where he claimed to have consumed three glasses of brandy with a meal.
CCTV footage shown to the court revealed that, in the lead-up to the fatal collision, Clarke-Samuel: Failed to stop at six red traffic lights, Repeatedly veered onto the wrong side of the road, Mounted the kerb and Collided with a motorcyclist and a Mercedes, causing damage to both vehicles.
Follow And Like Us On Tiktok
Tamang was catapulted into the air and suffered catastrophic injuries. He died in hospital two days later. An Uber driver initially mistook Tamang’s body for “a bundle of clothes in the road” before calling 999. Police later traced a damaged wing mirror casing found at the scene to Clarke-Samuel’s BMW M5, which was located near his home with significant front-end damage, including a shattered windscreen, crumpled bonnet and broken bumper.
Mitigation & Victim Impact Defence counsel Ben Aina KC read from a letter written by Clarke-Samuel to Tamang’s family, in which he expressed “extreme regret, shame and remorse,” describing the crash as “truly an unintentional act” and apologising for the suffering caused.
Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com
For Breaking News And More Follow Us On Instagram
In a victim impact statement, Tamang’s family said: “We speak today with hearts broken beyond repair. Our only child, a precious soul, has been taken from us far too soon. Justin Clarke-Samuel has stolen our son’s future and ours with it… we can never forgive him for what he has done.”
The court heard Clarke-Samuel has 12 previous convictions for 27 offences dating back to age 16, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and multiple driving offences.
Shani Taggart of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Justin Clarke-Samuel knew he was in no fit state to drive and there was clear evidence of his excessive speed and disregard for road users as he drove incredibly dangerously across our city. Today’s sentence will see Clarke-Samuel face the consequences of his fatal decision to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking.”
Share Your Opinion With Us @ddnewsonline
Ghetts’ Career Context Clarke-Samuel, known professionally as Ghetts, is a veteran of the UK grime scene with a Mercury Prize-nominated album (Rebel Without a Pause, 2017) and collaborations with artists including Stormzy, Skepta and Giggs. He has also acted in films and TV series.
The sentence has drawn widespread reaction online, with many fans expressing shock and disappointment while others emphasised the severity of the offence and the need for accountability.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
Send tips to: adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
09164987165 / 08168555497