KATHMANDU: A British rapper has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for causing the death of a Nepali student in a high-speed road crash in northeast London.

The Central Criminal Court, commonly known as the Old Bailey, on Tuesday convicted 41-year-old Justin Clarke Samuel, popularly known by his stage name “Gates,” and handed down the prison term.

The fatal incident occurred on Oct 18, 2025, on Redbridge Lane in Ilford, northeast London.

According to court proceedings, Samuel was driving a BMW at excessive speed when he struck 20-year-old Nepali student Yubin Tamang as he was crossing the road.

Tamang sustained critical injuries and died in hospital two days later despite medical treatment.

Presiding Judge Mark Lucraft ruled that Samuel was guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. In addition to the 12-year custodial sentence, the court imposed a 17-year driving ban.

Samuel had earlier admitted to charges of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of intoxicating substances.

During the hearing, prosecutors revealed that Samuel was traveling at more than 60 miles per hour in a zone with a 30 mph speed limit.

CCTV footage presented in court showed the vehicle striking Tamang before the driver fled the scene without stopping.

Police later recovered the damaged black BMW during a search of Samuel’s residence the following morning.

Yubin Tamang, the only son of Bikash Tamang and Sharmila Magar Tamang of Ward No. 11, Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City, had moved to the United Kingdom in September 2024 to pursue higher education.

He was a second-year undergraduate student studying BSc Business Management at the University of Roehampton.

His untimely death has left his family and relatives devastated. Members of the Nepali community in the UK and various organizations extended support to the bereaved family, raising and handing over financial assistance during the difficult period.

While the family has expressed that the court’s verdict delivers a sense of justice, community representatives said the loss of Yubin remains irreparable.