'I partied hard with Diddy then he conned me with his fake gentleman act'

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison by a federal judge in New York City after he was found guilty earlier this year on prostitution-related charges. The controversial music producer, who waved to supporters upon arriving in court, was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking in July but found guilty on two charges of transportation of former girlfriends for prostitution.

He has now been sentenced to four years and two months in prison. The guilty verdictwas delivered after 13 hours of deliberation by the jury. As the verdict came down, Diddy was seen kneeling in front of his chair and praying. He then turned to the gallery and clapped in front of his children and family who had turned out to to support him.

During the trial, torrid details emerged about his sex life and 'freak off parties' that involved ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

The music mogul was denied bailand has remained in custody until today's sentencing. Federal prosecutors have argued the disgraced star should serve more than 11 years in prison for his conviction, claiming he is "unrepentant".

Years before his trial, The Mirror's Associate Editor Tom Bryant had two different meetings with the disgraced rapper. Here, Tom recalls the very different person he encountered on both occasions...

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"The instruction when it came was brief and direct. Diddy, 2pm. Soho Hotel. Meet by the lift.

"The rapper's representative then informed me I had a "tight five-minute window" during which he would "walk and talk" from our rendezvous point to his awaiting limousine in the hotel courtyard. It wasn't precisely the comprehensive sit-down chat I had anticipated after Diddy – Sean Combs – jetted into London to perform at the memorial concert for the late Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2007.

"However, it occurred just four months after I'd spent considerable time with him in Paris where, in all honesty, he was far more liberal with his availability. During that encounter, he entertained me backstage with outlandish tales about his romantic escapades, including his passion for 30-hour tantric intimacy sessions.

"'As meticulous as I am with my work, I'm more meticulous with lovemaking. I like to do it for a long time,' he told me.

"It was a bold, shocking interview. And it was succeeded by an even more jaw-dropping after-party during which he dispatched magnums of champagne to my table whilst barely dressed women danced provocatively around me.

"'There is no party like a Diddy party,' he boasted. Yet as I reconnected with him weeks later in London, it was as though he had transformed into an entirely different person: subdued, contemplative and completely captivating.

"Speaking in hushed tones, Diddy explained how significant it was for him to perform at the charity concert and I recall being impressed by his genuine enthusiasm for honouring Diana's legacy. As we spoke beside his tinted vehicle, which would soon transport him to Wembley Stadium, he graciously expressed gratitude for my backing.

"I departed believing that the swagger from our previous encounter was merely an act and that this represented the genuine Diddy: a proper gentleman. Perhaps it was this side of his character that Diddy hoped to present to jurors throughout his eight-week trial in New York City.

"However, the persona that surfaced was more sinister than anyone – myself included – could have possibly envisaged.

"We listened to the distressing accounts of Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, the performer's long-term girlfriend, and another complainant known simply as "Jane". Both women detailed being forced into "freak-offs" – compelled sexual encounters with male prostitutes organised by Combs whilst he observed and filmed them.

"Ventura told jurors how her then-partner "would smash me in my head, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down". When questioned about the frequency of the violence, she replied: "Too frequently."

"The shocking domestic violence was referenced by the judge as justification for why Combs was denied bail and returned to custody in Brooklyn. He will stay there until his sentencing in October, when he could face up to 20 years behind bars following his conviction on two counts of transportation to commit prostitution.

"In truth, he might end up serving considerably less than that. The more severe charges – of which he was acquitted – carried a life sentence.

"As the verdict was announced on Wednesday, Combs dramatically threw himself to the floor and began praying. He then turned to his family and declared: 'I'm coming home, baby!' Upon hearing about these courtroom antics, I felt nothing but revulsion.

"My disgust only deepened when his legal team framed the events as a triumph, despite the extent of domestic abuse revealed in the witness stand. Then there were the equally distasteful scenes on the streets outside.

"Some fans even doused themselves in baby oil – 1,000 bottles of which were confiscated during raids at his residences.

"His gentlemanly facade certainly fooled me. It's perhaps no surprise others are still bewitched by him."

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