The grim reality of a life cut short by reckless driving was laid bare at the Old Bailey as grime artist Ghetts was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the hit-and-run killing of student Yubin Tamang. Justin Clarke-Samuel, the 37-year-old rapper known as Ghetts, admitted causing death by dangerous driving after a night of drinking and extreme speeding that ended in tragedy in Ilford.
A Family’s Grief and Lost Futures
Weeping in court, Yubin Tamang’s mother, Sharmila Tamang, described her son’s journey from Nepal to the UK for his studies. “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,” she said. “Yubin was our only child.” The profound loss was echoed in a statement from his roommate, Sushant Khadka, who told the court the 20-year-old had “dreams, ambition, plans for his future” and that his death had permanently affected many lives.
A ‘Shocking’ and Fatal Journey
The fatal collision was the culmination of what the Old Bailey’s most senior judge, Mark Lucraft KC, called a “quite appalling litany of incidents”. Prosecutor Philip McGhee outlined how, on the evening of Saturday 18 October 2025, Clarke-Samuel had been drinking alcohol at Omi Lounge in central London. Later, driving while one-and-a-half times over the legal limit, he embarked on a dangerous drive through north-east London. The court heard he 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.
CCTV evidence showed he was travelling at speeds of more than 70mph. As he entered Redbridge Lane in Ilford, he was driving at 67mph in a 30mph zone when he struck Yubin Tamang, who was crossing the road, at 11.33pm. Clarke-Samuel did not stop, made no call to emergency services, and drove the eight miles back to his home. Tamang succumbed to his injuries in hospital two days later.
Arrest, Defence, and Past Record
Police attending Clarke-Samuel’s home in the early hours of the following day reported smelling alcohol on his breath and found his black BMW significantly damaged. In his defence, the court was told Clarke-Samuel claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him, though no evidence of a pursuit was found on CCTV. His lawyer said this fear stemmed from a past incident in which he had been robbed at gunpoint by assailants who were never caught.
The judge was also presented with Clarke-Samuel’s criminal history. The defendant, a father of two, had 12 previous convictions for 27 offences dating from the age of 16, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking, and other driving crimes.
Remorse, Character, and Sentencing
In mitigation, the court heard of Clarke-Samuel’s “genuine remorse”. Letters of support, including from his partner, were submitted, setting out how he had used his career in music to make a positive impact on his community. Ghetts is a noted figure in British music, having collaborated with artists like Skepta, Stormzy, and Ed Sheeran, performed at Glastonbury several times up to 2024, and won awards including best male act at the 2021 Mobo awards and the Mobo pioneer award in 2024.
Passing sentence, Judge Lucraft described the footage of the driving as “simply shocking”. He sentenced Justin Clarke-Samuel to 12 years imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for 17 years.
