An exotic dancer, who was engaged to partake in ‘freak offs’ with Diddy and his former partner Cassie Ventura, was emotionally moved upon witnessing the mogul’s children plead for their father’s life.

Sharay Hayes was back in court on Friday for the Bad Boy rapper’s sentencing at New York federal court, but this time as an observer. 

Known by his stage name ‘The Punisher’, Hayes shared with the Daily Mail that he sought attendance for personal closure after his involvement gained attention following his testimony in May.

During his testimony, the 51-year-old Hayes recounted being paid approximately $2,000 for participating in about a dozen ‘freak offs’ since 2012 with Ventura and Combs.

On Friday, Hayes said watching Combs’ adult children, especially daughters Chance, Jesse and D’Lila, sob in front of the judge moved him. 

“I’m a tough guy with the name ‘The Punisher,’ yet I nearly asked for a tissue,” Hayes admitted. “It was extremely difficult, very heart-wrenching. It opened my eyes, making me view the situation through a new lens.”

Combs faced a potential 20-year sentence related to two lesser charges of transportation for prostitution, but he was cleared of more severe charges, including racketeering and two sex-trafficking accusations.

The prosecution asked the judge for a sentence of at least 11 years. Combs’ defense attorneys, however, argued the Bad Boy mogul should be released with time served.

An emotional Diddy addressed Judge Arun Subramanian and said he was ‘broken to his core’ and begged for mercy.  

‘I understand the severity of it and I’m having to deal with the consequences,’ Combs said. ‘I take full accountability and responsibility. 

‘I know that the prosecution wants you to make an example of me. I want you to think about making an example of what a person can do if they get another chance.’

After nearly 8 hours listening to both sides, Subramanian handed down a sentence of 50 months and slapped the disgraced music mogul with a fine of $500,000.

Combs also will be under five years of supervised release after he is released from federal prison.

‘Why did it happen so long? Because you had the power and the resources to keep it going and because you weren’t caught,’ Subramanian said to Combs. 

‘You were no John. You were more than that. Even if you currency was satisfying your sexual desires more than money, but the coercion was the same, if not worse.’

Before Combs learned his fate, Hayes said defense attorney Jason Driscoll did a ‘very good job’ comparing Comb’s case to other Mann Act convictions and why the rapper should be sentenced to a lower term.

‘I understand the law, and everything depends on precedence,’ the dancer said. ‘Driscoll was able to rip the prosecution’s argument apart because all of the people that the prosecution used as examples had multiple offense and profited from their crimes. 

‘He [Driscoll] pulled up cases of people that was similar to Combs’ case, and they were getting 12 months and a day, maybe 6 months. Even the people who got 27 months were convicted of having sex with minors.

‘How does somebody commit prostitution with a minor and get 24 months, but the prosecution is asking for 11 years? It’s such an excessive disparity.’ 

Hayes walked into the courthouse carrying his book, In Search of Freezer Meat, which explores the topic of erectile dysfunction. 

Although he didn’t name the couple in his now best-selling book, Hayes includes a six-page description of his sordid encounters with the hip-hop mogul and Ventura.

Hayes had told the Daily Mail he initially didn’t know the man who paid him was Combs because Diddy would wear a black burka that covered his face. He also said he didn’t know his trysts with the couple were recorded until he heard Ventura’s testimony.

Hayes said while he thinks the sentence the prosecution asked for was an overreach, he also thought about Ventura and the other victims.

‘I don’t want to invalidate anything the victims I went through, and I have been thinking of Cassie,’ he said ‘This this is a man who did terrible things. 

‘But the world is so harsh because everybody thinks his remorse is not real. This guy’s life — his fall from grace — is a devastating circumstance. I have a ton of empathy, and I actually feel very sorry for the guy.’

Hayes said the time Combs has already spent in jail and the public embarrassment were enough. 

‘I believe there’s a genuine remorse,’ Hayes said of Combs.

When asked about his reaction when prosecutors alleged Diddy had an event booked this weekend under the belief that he would walk out of court on Friday, Hayes said, ‘I’m not even mad at him. You’ve got to project what you want to happen in life, and he’s the master of that.’

Hayes said since he testified, he finally had time to process about participating in one of the biggest cases in the country.

‘I was kind of like hiding in the house and wasn’t coming outside,’ he said. ‘Although I’ve done a bunch of interviews to try to create a different narrative about myself, I think subconsciously I just felt like, “Man, I’m in the middle of all this stuff.” It wasn’t easy.

‘But coming out here in public, and I have to say, the majority of people are responding to me positively. There are some people that you know, turn their face up at me when they see me, or whatever. It is what it is. 

‘But I think I needed to just experience this head on because it is coming to a place of closure for myself. ‘