British rapper and actor Ghetts, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on March 3, 2026, for causing the death of 20-year-old student Yubin Tamang in a hit-and-run collision. The sentencing at the Old Bailey concluded a case that began on the night of October 18, 2025, when Clarke-Samuel struck Tamang while driving his BMW M5 at more than double the speed limit in Ilford, east London, and then fled the scene.
Who Is Ghetts?
Ghetts is a 41-year-old grime artist from East London who built a significant career in British music before crossing into acting. He appeared as the character Krazy in the Netflix superhero series Supacell, a drama created by Rapman about ordinary South Londoners who develop powers. The show amassed more than 450 million views on Netflix following its premiere .
His acting role brought his profile to an international audience, but his legal troubles would ultimately end that chapter of his career. Before the collision, Ghetts had released four studio albums, including On Purpose, With Purpose in February 2024 .
The Night of the Collision
On the evening of October 18, 2025, Clarke-Samuel had been socialising with friends at a bar and a restaurant in central London, including the Omi Lounge on Wells Street . He admitted to consuming three glasses of brandy with a meal before getting into his black BMW M5 to drive home to Woodford Green .
Prosecutor Philip McGhee told the court that Clarke-Samuel was driving at speeds exceeding 60 mph in a 30 mph zone when he struck Tamang on Redbridge Lane East in Ilford . The impact was catastrophic. Tamang was thrown into the air and sustained severe injuries including multiple fractures and organ damage .
Instead of stopping, Clarke-Samuel drove approximately eight miles home, failing to call emergency services at any point . An Uber driver who came upon the scene initially thought he was looking at a bundle of clothes before realising Tamang was seriously injured and calling 999 .
The driving in the minutes before the collision was captured extensively on CCTV. Footage showed Clarke-Samuel running six red traffic lights, repeatedly driving on the wrong side of the road, mounting the kerb, and colliding with a motorcyclist and a Mercedes . At one point he narrowly missed hitting a cyclist .
The Investigation and Arrest
Police arrived at the scene and found a damaged wing mirror casing on the road. Officers traced the serial number to Clarke-Samuel’s registered vehicle and located the car near his home address at around 3:00 am on October 19 . The BMW had a smashed windscreen, heavy bonnet damage, a wrecked front bumper, and a missing wing mirror cover .
Clarke-Samuel was arrested hours after the incident. When breathalysed, he was found to be 1.5 times over the legal drink-drive limit . Later blood tests also detected cannabis in his system at levels sufficient to impair driving .Quick Bio: Ghetts
The Legal Proceedings
Clarke-Samuel initially claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him, citing a previous armed robbery. However, CCTV footage showed no evidence of any pursuit .
On December 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to causing death by dangerous driving and an additional charge of dangerous driving . He appeared via video link from Pentonville prison .
Sentencing took place on March 3, 2026, before Judge Mark Lucraft KC. The judge described the CCTV footage as showing a “quite appalling litany of incidents” leading up to a collision that was “simply shocking” . Clarke-Samuel received 12 years in prison for causing death by dangerous driving, plus a concurrent 15-month sentence for the separate dangerous driving charge. He was also disqualified from driving for 17 years .
The court heard that Clarke-Samuel had 12 previous convictions for 27 crimes from the age of 16, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking, and driving offences .
The Victim
Yubin Tamang was a 20-year-old university student from Nepal who had come to the UK to study, believing a British degree would be well recognised internationally . He was the only child of Sharmila and Bikash Tamang . He died in hospital two days after the collision .
His mother delivered a victim impact statement in court through an interpreter, breaking down as she spoke. She said her son had dreamed of further education and had been returning home from work when the collision occurred .
In a statement released by the family’s legal representatives at Leigh Day, the Tamang 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.”
The Apology and Defence
In mitigation, Clarke-Samuel’s lawyer Ben Aina KC read extracts from a letter the rapper had written. Clarke-Samuel said he felt “extreme regret, shame and remorse” and added: “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.”
The defence argued that Clarke-Samuel believed he was being followed because he had previously been robbed at gunpoint .
Career Consequences
Following his guilty plea in December 2025, it was confirmed that Clarke-Samuel would not appear in the second season of Supacell. Deadline reported that he would “play no further role in the drama,” which was already filming in the UK at the time . His character Krazy had been left in an ambiguous state at the end of season one, having been shot but not explicitly killed .
The Crown Prosecution Service’s Shani Taggart said after sentencing: “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.” Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly was Ghetts convicted of?
Ghetts, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and an additional charge of dangerous driving at the Old Bailey in December 2025 . He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on March 3, 2026, and disqualified from driving for 17 years .
Who was the victim?
The victim was Yubin Tamang, a 20-year-old university student from Nepal who had come to the UK to study . He was the only child of Sharmila and Bikash Tamang. He died in hospital two days after being struck by Clarke-Samuel’s BMW on October 18, 2025 .
What happened during the incident?
Clarke-Samuel had been drinking and was 1.5 times over the legal limit . He drove at 67 mph in a 30 mph zone, ran six red lights, mounted the kerb, and collided with a motorcyclist and a Mercedes before hitting Tamang . He did not stop and drove approximately eight miles home without calling emergency services .
Will Ghetts appear in Supacell Season 2?
No. Following his guilty plea in December 2025, it was confirmed that Clarke-Samuel will not appear in the second season of the Netflix series . He played the character Krazy in Season 1, whose fate was left ambiguous after being shot .
What did the victim’s family say?
In a statement released after sentencing, 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” .
