Sean “Diddy” Combs blew a kiss to his family as he entered court for the first day of his sex-trafficking trial.

Opening statements in the trial of the disgraced rap mogul have today begun in Manhattan after jury selection was finalised this morning.

Jury selection was planned to conclude on Friday but was delayed following an appeal from Combs’ lawyers amid concerns over members of the jury dropping out.

The rapper’s former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie Ventura who accused Combs of physical abuse and rape during their relationship, is expected to appear as the third witness in the trial.

Combs’s lawyers revealed last week the rapper’s lawyers intends to argue he and Ms Ventura engaged in mutual violence throughout their relationship, and that he engaged in a party-loving lifestyle that was indulgent, but not illegal.

Prosecutors will argue that the rapper coerced women into “freak-off” drug-fuelled sex parties and was violent towards them.

Prosecutors say they have lost communication with one witness, known as “victim three”, who will likely no longer testify against the rapper.