JUSTIN ROILAND HAS been axed at the voice of the leading characters of the animated series Rick and Morty, following the revelation that he was charged with felony domestic abuse in California.

Roiland, 42, has plead not guilty to the charges against him. 

The distributor for Rick and Morty, the company Adult Swim, tweeted a statement saying that it had “ended its association with Justin Roiland.” 

“Rick and Morty will continue. The talented and dedicated crew at hard at work on season 7,” the statement further read. 

pic.twitter.com/npS7WpywtD

— Rick and Morty (@RickandMorty) January 24, 2023

Earlier this month a criminal complaint obtained  from prosecutors in Orange County, California, charged Roiland, 42, with corporal injury and false imprisonment by menace, fraud, violence or deceit against the woman, who he was living with at the time.

The woman was not identified in court documents. Roiland has pleaded not guilty.

The incident occurred in January of 2020 and Roiland was charged in May of that year, but the charges apparently went unnoticed by media outlets until NBC News reported them on Thursday, when a pre-trial hearing was held in the case.

Roiland is set to return to court in April. A trial date has not been set.

The Guardian reported that Roiland’s solicitor T Edward Welbourn gave the following statement: “Not only is Justin innocent but we also have every expectation that this matter is on course to be dismissed once the district attorney’s office has completed its methodical review of the evidence.”

Roiland and Dan Harmon created the animated sci-fi sitcom about a mad scientist and his grandson, both voiced by Roiland.

It has aired for six seasons on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim night-time programming block, and has been renewed for a seventh.

- Additional reporting by Eimer McAuley.