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British rapper Ghetts has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after admitting responsibility for a fatal hit-and-run collision that claimed the life of a 20-year-old university student in north-east London.
The 41-year-old artiste, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, was handed the custodial sentence at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, as well as a separate count of dangerous driving.
Fatal Collision In Ilford
The court heard that the incident occurred on October 18, 2025, along Redbridge Lane East in Ilford. Ghetts was driving his BMW M5 when he struck Yubin Tamang, a student from Nepal who was studying in the United Kingdom.
Tamang sustained severe injuries in the collision and was rushed to hospital. Despite medical efforts, he passed away two days later.
Prosecutor Philip McGhee told the court that the rapper had consumed alcohol prior to getting behind the wheel and was approximately one and a half times over the legal limit at the time of the crash.
Further details presented in court painted a troubling picture of his driving that night. Ghetts was reported to have exceeded 60 miles per hour in a 30mph zone. In addition, he allegedly ran six red lights, crossed into oncoming traffic, mounted the kerb, and collided with other vehicles before striking Tamang.
After the impact, he failed to stop at the scene.
Judge Condemns Driving As “Shocking”
Presiding over the case, Judge Mark Lucraft KC described CCTV footage of the incident as deeply disturbing. He referred to the sequence of events leading up to the collision as a “quite appalling litany of incidents” and said the driving displayed was “simply shocking.”
During proceedings, Ghetts claimed he had been driving erratically because he believed he was being followed. However, investigations found no evidence to support the claim that another vehicle was pursuing him at the time.
Police were later able to trace debris from the crash back to his BMW. The damaged vehicle was subsequently located near his residence in Woodford Green, showing significant destruction to the front end consistent with the collision.
Family’s Heartbreak
In an emotional victim impact statement read before the court, Tamang’s family expressed the profound devastation caused by his death.
“Our hearts are broken beyond repair,” they said, adding that the rapper had “stolen our son’s future and ours with it.”
The court acknowledged the lasting trauma inflicted on the family, noting that the young student had travelled far from home in pursuit of education and opportunity.
Additional Driving Ban
Alongside the 12-year prison term, the court imposed a lengthy driving disqualification. Ghetts has been banned from driving for 17 years, a period that will extend well beyond his time in custody.
The sentence marks a dramatic fall from grace for the rapper, who had built a reputation within the UK music scene over the years. However, the court emphasised that the severity of the punishment reflected the extreme recklessness of his actions and the irreversible loss suffered by the victim’s loved ones.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of dangerous and impaired driving, particularly when excessive speed and alcohol are involved.
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