NEW YORK: A US judge on Friday denied Sean `Diddy` Combs bid to delay his upcoming sex-trafficking trial by two months.

Judge Arun Subramanian said the hiphop mogul made his request too close to his trial. Jury selection is currently scheduled to start on May 5, with opening statements on May 12.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts, including racketeering and sex trafficking. Prosecutors with the Manhattan attorney`s office say Combs used his business empire to abuse women between 2004 and 2024. Combs lawyers say the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.

In a court filing on Wednesday, hislawyer Marc Agnifilo asked Subramanian to delay the trial because he needed more time to prepare his defence to new charges brought on April 4. Agnifilo also said the defence needed more time to review emails it wants an alleged victim to turn over.

Federal prosecutors were opposed to any delay, writing in a Thursday court filing that the additional charges brought earlier this month did not amount to substantially new conduct. They said Combs was not entitled to the alleged victim`s communications.

Subramanian is also weighing other evidentiary issues, such as whether to allow alleged victims to testify under pseudonyms.-Reuters