My son's not a monster, says Diddy's mother

Sean "Diddy" Combs' mother has said she is "devastated and profoundly saddened" by the allegations levelled against her son, but that they are "lies".

The musician, known for hits like 1997's I'll Be Missing You, was arrested on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering last month. He is currently being held in a Manhattan detention centre after being denied bail.

In a statement, Janice Small Combs defended her son, saying that although he had "made mistakes in the past, as we all have", he is "not the monster they have painted him to be".

"It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies," she wrote.

The statement was attributed to Ms Small Combs and the Combs family, and was issued by her lawyer, Natlie G Figgers.

It came five days after it was revealed that Mr Combs could face lawsuits from more than 100 additional accusers, both men and women, for alleged sexual assault, rape and sexual exploitation.

The star's lawyer have denied these and all previous charges, calling them "false and defamatory".

He has faced a number of cases since last year, when his former partner Cassie Ventura accused him of rape and abuse.

Mr Combs denied the allegations, and the case was settled out of court a day after being filed.

However, he was subsequently sued by 12 other women, many of whom accused the rapper of drugging and assaulting them.

Federal agents raided his properties in March as authorities built a criminal case against the star.

Then in May, a video of Mr Combs physically assaulting Ms Ventura in a hotel room in 2016 was leaked to the press.

In her statement, the Ms Small Combs referenced the video, saying she was "not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not".