Megadeth fire bassist David Ellefson

Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine has fired bassist David Ellefson from the band.

Mustaine issued a statement this evening confirming Megadeth have “parted ways” with Ellefson just over two weeks after the bassist denied grooming a fan.

“We are informing our fans that David Ellefson is no longer playing with Megadeth and that we are officially parting ways with him. We do not take this decision lightly,” Mustaine wrote.

“While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward.

“We look forward to seeing our fans on the road this summer, and we cannot wait to share our brand new music with the world. It is almost complete.”

Earlier in May, explicit messages and video footage involving Ellefson were leaked on social media.

56-year-old Ellefson wrote on 10th May: "As you may or not know, some private and personal conversations and interactions have surfaced online, released with ill intention by a third party who was not authorized to have them or share them. While certainly embarrassing, I want to address it as openly and honestly as possible.

"As much as it's not something I'm proud of, these were private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family.

"The other party involved has made a statement which you can see below. I thank her for doing so and hope that this clarifies that the situation was not at all as presented."

Ellefson’s statement was accompanied by a screenshot of a message from who he claimed was the woman, saying she was not "groomed" by Ellefson and wasn't underage at the time of the interactions.

Megadeth said immediately afterwards: “We are aware of the recent statements regarding David Ellefson, and are watching developments closely. As it relates to creativity and business, we are all familiar with one another. However, there are clearly aspects of David’s private life that he has kept to himself.

“As this situation unfolds, it is important that all voices be heard clearly and respectfully. We look forward to the truth coming to light.”

Ellefson has yet to release a comment on his firing.

David Ellefson joined Megadeth in 1983 and was a member until they split in 2002. He rejoined again in 2010, six years after the band reformed.

Megadeth are currently putting the finishing touches to their sixteenth studio album, the follow-up to 2016’s ‘Dystopia.’

• Megadeth