Ghetts, a Star of Supacell, Is Sentenced to 12 Years for Fatal Hit-and-Run in London

Justin Clarke-Samuel, the 41-year-old British rapper and actor known professionally as Ghetts, was sentenced on Tuesday to 12 years in prison at the Old Bailey for causing the death of 20-year-old Nepalese student Yubin Tamang in a high-speed hit-and-run collision in October 2025.

The verdict, delivered by Judge Mark Lucraft KC, follows months of legal proceedings that have gripped both the entertainment world and public discussions on road safety and accountability.

Clarke-Samuel, who stars as the antagonist Krazy in the Netflix series Supacell and is widely respected in the UK grime scene, pleaded guilty in December to causing death by dangerous driving and to an additional charge of dangerous driving before the fatal crash.

Prosecutors showed that on the night of October 18, 2025, he was driving his BMW M5 in Ilford, northeast London, at speeds of up to 70 mph in a 30 mph zone after consuming alcohol. His blood-alcohol level was estimated to be roughly one and a half times over the legal limit.

Surveillance footage played in court painted a harrowing picture of reckless behavior: Clarke-Samuel’s vehicle ran at least six red lights, veered onto the wrong side of the road, mounted curbs, and even collided with other vehicles before striking Tamang as he crossed Redbridge Lane East late that night.

Instead of stopping to aid the victim, Clarke-Samuel drove approximately eight miles home, where he was arrested the following day. Tamang succumbed to his injuries in the hospital two days after the impact.

The prosecution traced the rapper’s car using a fragmented wing mirror casing left at the scene and mobile phone data that helped reconstruct his route through London. Prior to the fatal crash, Clarke-Samuel had also been charged for reckless driving incidents earlier the same evening in central London boroughs, including Bloomsbury, Camden, Islington, and Hackney.

At sentencing, Judge Lucraft described the sequence of events leading to Tamang’s death as “simply shocking,” noting that Clarke-Samuel’s choices reflected a blatant disregard for public safety. Alongside the prison term, the judge disqualified him from driving for 17 years.

In mitigation, defense counsel presented letters from supporters and community members attesting to Clarke-Samuel’s positive influence as an artist, mentor, and father of two. A letter from the defendant, read aloud in court, expressed “extreme regret, shame, and remorse,” acknowledging the irreparable harm caused. “I am fully aware that there are no number of apologies that I can say which will soothe the pain that the family and friends of Mr. Tamang must feel,” it said.

The victim’s mother, Sharmila Tamang, delivered an emotional statement from the dock, describing her only child as a young man full of promise who had traveled to the United Kingdom in pursuit of higher education. “My son had dreams, ambitions, plans for his future,” she said, her voice breaking. “Because of somebody’s mistakes, he has died at a very small age.”

Clarke-Samuel’s career spans more than two decades in music and acting. As Ghetts, he has released several studio albums, collaborated with prominent artists including Skepta, Stormzy, and Ed Sheeran, and earned accolades such as Best Male Act at the 2021 MOBO Awards and the MOBO Pioneer Award in 2024. His role in Supacell had introduced him to a global audience beyond the music scene.

The case has sparked widespread debate about celebrity accountability, the consequences of impaired and dangerous driving, and the legal thresholds for sentencing in cases where no immediate intent to kill is established but the conduct results in a tragic loss of life.

Public reaction has been mixed, with some commentators calling the sentence justified and others arguing it reflects broader issues in how justice systems treat fatal traffic offenses involving public figures.