US singer R. Kelly has had his third attempt to leave jail, on the grounds he's at high risk of getting coronavirus, rejected by a judge.

Kelly claims he is prediabetic but US District Judge Ann Donnelly ruled against granting him leave.

She wrote of her decision: "I do not agree that a diagnosis of prediabetes presents a compelling reason for the defendant’s release.

“While the CDC has identified diabetes as a risk factor for COVID-19, the same is not true for prediabetes, a condition that affects nearly one in three American adults.”

She added doctors in his prison were working 'with him to implement lifestyle changes like a better diet and exercise, to ensure Kelly’s safety while incarcerated.' 

The R&B hitmaker is charged in four separate cases of sexually abusing girls and young women over several decades.

He is also accused of several counts of state and federal sexual misconduct in Illnois, Minnesota and New York. These range from sexual assault to a racketeering scheme.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and has been awaiting trial in prison since last July.

Judge Donnelly rejected Kelly's first motion to leave prison last Tuesday as she deemed he was a flight risk.

The second motion, on Thursday, saw Donnelly demand prosecutors to review Kelly's demands by Friday.

The judge also postponed his racketeering trial in New York from July 7 to September 29 with both sides agreeing it could be delayed further.