Rapper and Netflix star Ghetts has entered a guilty plea for death by dangerous driving following a hit-and-run collision.
Ghetts, real name Justin Clarke-Samuel, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after a young man died in a hit-and-run collision.
The 41-year-old grime artist appeared via videolink today from Pentonville prison as he entered his plea to the judges at the Old Bailey.
Clarke-Samuel also pleaded guilty to additional charges of dangerous driving before and after the crash, which took place at the end of October.
He has not yet entered pleas to causing death by careless driving whilst over the alcohol limit. The court reported that Clarke-Samuel admitted to drinking Hennessy and Coke at 9.30pm, two hours before the incident.
The musician and Netflix actor failed to stop after his BMW hit 20-year-old Yubin Tamang on Redbridge Lane, Ilford, at around 11.33pm on October 18.
Tamang died two days later on October 20. Tamang was an only child, and his parents had sent him to the UK to receive an education.
Prosecutor Varinder Hayre described the incident in court, revealing that Tamang was thrown high in the air during the collision.
‘The victim was seen on CCTV walking along Redbridge Lane East in the area. He looked both ways and started to cross the road, as he walked into the middle of the road.
‘The black BWW registered with the defendant was travelling eastbound and collided with the victim.
‘The impact was so significant that it threw the victim up into the air at around 60 or 70 feet and the contents of his bag had been thrown out.
‘The victim landed on the floor and the BMW did not stop and kept travelling east along Redbridge Lane.’
Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, said Clarke-Samuel is facing an inevitable custodial sentence. He is set to stay in custody ahead of sentencing, which is likely to take place around February 12.
Clarke-Samuel was driving dangerously in Tavistock Place and other roads in Camden, north London. After the collision, he continued to drive dangerously in Worcester Crescent, Redbridge, on the journey back to his home in King’s Avenue, Woodford, east London.
Police visited the defendant’s address in Woodford early the next day. The black BMW, registered and insured in the defendant’s name, was said to have been significantly damaged.
Clarke-Samuel first appeared in Stratford Magistrates’ Court on October 20, initially charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, until Tamang’s death changed the indictment.
Ghetts is an actor and performer, best known for his appearance in the 2024 Netflix series Supacell.
He also performed at Glastonbury last year, and has featured in tracks alongside Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, racking up millions of plays on Spotify with tracks including One Take, Skengman and IC3.
In 2021, he won the best male act at the Mobo Awards and has also been nominated for a Mercury Prize, and last year received the Mobo Pioneer Award for his significant contribution to British Black culture.
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