A POLICE finance officer who was cleared of stealing £20 from a policewoman’s purse on a night out has been sacked from her job.

Former Miss York finalist Krystal Talmadge, 23, who also served as a special police constable, was suspended on full pay while the police investigation into the alleged theft was carried out.

When she was cleared at York Crown Court in May, she spoke of her relief, saying: “The whole thing has been a nightmare, but I knew that I was innocent and that has been proven now.”

But last week, Miss Talmadge, of Gouthwaith Close, Rawcliffe, attended a disciplinary hearing and was sacked from her £16,700-a-year job at Fulford Road Police Station.

In May, a jury found her not guilty of stealing £20 from PC Kealey Lockey’s handbag at the Tru nightclub, where the two women and their friends met on June 15, 2008. After the verdict, Miss Talmadge hoped to return to work immediately, but remained suspended on full pay while an internal investigation was carried out. That led to a disciplinary hearing this week, at which she was dismissed from her civilian position with immediate effect, for gross misconduct. “There are no words to describe how angry I am by the situation,” she said.

“I was cleared at court. I haven’t done anything wrong. I am determined to fight this all the way. I wasn’t expecting to be sacked, especially without notice.”

A police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that following a disciplinary hearing on August 12, police staff member Krystal Talmadge was dismissed from her employment with North Yorkshire Police. “She has a right to appeal this decision, therefore it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this stage.”

Miss Talmadge is now waiting for written confirmation of the reasons for the hearing panel’s decision. She said she will appeal against the decision.

She is still waiting to hear about whether she will be able to keep her job as a special constable.

“If I hadn’t gone to court this wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “All the evidence used was evidence from the court.”

She has filled the 14 months since her arrest by studying at university, visiting Australia and setting up her own chocolate fountain business.

But she said it had been the worst year of her life. “It has been hell because this was hanging over me,” she said.

As a finance officer, Miss Talmadge, who was a Miss York finalist in 2005 and 2006, looked after banking and petty cash among other duties for North Yorkshire Police’s central area, which includes York, Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn-in-Elmet.

In May, the jury saw CCTV footage of PC Lockey leaving her handbag in a VIP booth shared by Miss Talmadge.

While the officer was away, the camera captured Miss Talmadge apparently rummaging in the handbag for close to a minute.

Miss Talmadge told the jury she heard a phone ringing and was very drunk at the time.

She could not remember going through the bag and said she would not ruin her career by stealing £20.