British rapper Ghetts was sentenced on Tuesday, March 3, to 12 years in prison by a London criminal court for manslaughter by dangerous driving. The 41-year-old artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, had pleaded guilty to the charges.
On October 18, 2025, he fatally struck a 20-year-old Nepalese student, Yubin Tamang, as the latter was returning home to Woodford, East London. Driving a BMW, the rapper continued for nearly 13 kilometers without calling for help.
The investigation determined that he was driving at 67 mph (approximately 110 km/h) in a 30 mph (48 km/h) zone. Surveillance video footage also showed that he ran six red lights, drove on the sidewalk, and struck a motorcyclist and another vehicle shortly before the crash. He had a blood alcohol level 1.5 times the legal limit.
In a letter to the victim's family, the artist referred to it as an "unintentional act" and expressed "his regret, shame, and remorse." Already convicted twelve times in the past, notably for armed robbery, aggravated vehicle theft, and traffic violations, Ghetts was considered a pioneer of grime, a musical genre at the crossroads of house and rap.
During his career, he has collaborated with Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, and has performed several times at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK.
