British rapper Ghetts, known for his hit tracks with Ed Sheeran, has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. The award-winning grime artist was sentenced Tuesday in London’s Old Bailey court following a fatal collision in northeast London last October.
At the hearing, which included CCTV footage depicting an “appalling litany” leading up to the crash, judge Mark Lucraft handed down a 12-year prison sentence and a lifetime ban on driving. Ghetts admitted causing death by dangerous driving during his trial.
Ghetts, who has collaborated with several high-profile musicians including Ed Sheeran and won a prestigious Mobo Award for Best Male Act in 2021, was found to be more than twice the legal drink-drive limit at the time of the collision. He had also repeatedly veered onto wrong sides of the road before crashing into Nepalese student Yubin Tamang as he crossed the street.
Ghetts went through six red traffic lights and exceeded the 30mph (48 kilometers per hour) speed limit, ultimately hitting Tamang and causing his fatal injuries. Despite making no call to emergency services, Tamang died in a hospital two days later.
The judge acknowledged Ghetts’ “genuine remorse” but emphasized that the circumstances surrounding the death were “simply shocking.” The 41-year-old artist had faced multiple previous convictions, including robbery and driving offenses, by the time he hit the road on October 20th.
Sharmila Tamang, mother of Yubin Tamang, shed tears in court. She described her only child as a promising student who came to the UK for his studies believing it offered the best degrees worldwide. “But this happened and he lost his life,” she said, speaking emotionally about her son’s passing.
Ghetts’ past included 12 previous convictions by age 19 in 2003, which led him to change his name from Justin Clarke-Samuel to Ghetto, the moniker he adopted after being released. The rapper was known for his collaborations and musical impact on his community.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with reckless driving and underscores the importance of following traffic laws, even when feeling the buzz of excitement or stress while on the road.