Schoolgirl worked as prostitute

A Tyneside schoolgirl earned about £14,000 in just two months by working as a prostitute, a court heard.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named, is understood to have earned more than £1,700 every weekend by working for an escort agency in Newcastle.

The girl's earnings stopped when a teacher found her bag at school, which contained condoms, lubricant and details of the agency she worked for.

The details emerged at a proceeds of crime hearing in South Tyneside.

The teenager's South Shields school contacted police, who took the girl home and the property was searched.

Couple arrested

During the search, in November last year, police found £8,060 hidden in a loft and the money was seized.

Asa Anderson, who was representing Northumbria Police, told the court: "The money was seized after police received a phone call from a school where a teacher found a pupil's bag.

"The bag was found containing certain items."

Magistrates granted the application and the cash has since been forfeited.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "A 44-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of inciting child prostitution and were subsequently released with no further action being taken."

Michele Elliott, from Kidscape, said: "Child prostitution is a hidden problem that nobody wants to talk about.

"The reality is that there are a lot of children out there doing what this child did."