A PROBATION worker has been sacked after having an affair with a convicted criminal while she was working on his case.

The relationship came to light when Pamela Armer had her lover Wayne Oxley arrested after accusing him of stealing money and jewellery from her following a row at the home they shared in Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle.

But the case was discontinued yesterday after she withdrew her evidence against him.

Mrs Armer, 44, is believed to have formerly lived with her husband in Rising Bridge.

Oxley, 35, of Clare Street, Burnley, was released from prison in January 2006.

Mrs Armer was working as a probation services officer at the time and was assigned to carry out support work on his case, Lancashire Probation Service has confirmed.

In July, Oxley, who has a string of convictions for theft and burglary, was accused of stealing jewellery and £707.75 from Mrs Armer's bank account by using credit cards he had taken from their home, Hyndburn magistrates were told.

After the case was dismissed, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that the money was alleged to have been removed from the account over a one-week period between July and August.

The couple then split up and Mrs Armer went on to accuse Oxley of stealing £760 worth of jewellery from her, the CPS added.

Oxley was first brought before Hyndburn Magistrates Court on September 6, where he denied four counts of theft and one of obtaining cash by deception, and as a result the Probation Service began to investigate the couple's romance.

Colin Dearden, deputy chief for the Lancashire Probation Service, said: "The relationship came to our attention, not just because of the court case, but because some concerns had been raised prior to that.

"However, the statement prepared for the court then confirmed our concerns.

"Mr Oxley's case was supervised by a qualified probation officer but on occasion a support worker worked on the case.

"Mrs Armer did see Mr Oxley on one or two occasions on behalf of his probation officer.

"Mrs Armer was not suspended as she was off work through illness.

"We have a disciplinary procedure which we took her through and that concluded with her dismissal."

The matter was brought before Hyndburn Magistrates again yesterday but the charges against Oxley were dismissed.

The court was told that Mrs Armer, who was the subject of a witness summons, refused to testify against him.

Magistrates decided not to proceed with a Contempt of Court action against her It is thought the pair have been reconciled since the allegations were first made.

Speaking after the charges were thrown out of court, Oxley described the relationship as delicate.' A Lancashire Police spokeswoman said: "It is not for us to comment on the inappropriateness or otherwise of this relationship but I can confirm that the address given by the accused on his arrest was the same as that given by the aggrieved in this matter, who rang the police to make a complaint after a dispute.

"We understand he was then thrown out at the time the allegation was made."