Roman Polanski's attempt to secure himself a guarantee from US courts that he will face 'no-jail' time if he freely returns to the country has failed.

The Oscar winning director, whose films include The Pianist and Rosemary's Baby, had put forward a motion to the courts saying he was willing to return to the US if he was assured he would not serve more time behind bars over his conviction for child sex in 1977.

Judges rejected Polanski's latest bid to avoid jail after prosecutor Michele Hanisee argued the director was asking for "special treatment" and that his request was effectively asking the court to "completely abandon legal principles".

Polanski, now 83, pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles in 1977 but fled the US after spending just 42 days in jail and now lives in France after having spent the last 40 years on the run.

Numerous attempts by the US government to have the director extradited back to American soil have failed over the years.

A statement released by Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday confirmed that Polanski's request to be able to return without fear of being jailed had been denied.