16-year-old is caught working as a prostitute in Southend (From Echo)

16-year-old is caught working as a prostitute in Southend

8:00am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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A 16-YEAR-OLD girl said to have a “bright future” was found working the streets of Southend as a prostitute.

The teenager was picked up by police officers as she got into a car in Ambleside Drive to meet a man she had previously had sex with in a car park.

Yesterday, Southend Youth Court heard the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been working as a prostitute three times a week just to earn some money.

Gemma Price, defending the girl from Benfleet, who is studying a vocational qualification at college, said: “A friend had told her it was a good way to earn some money.

“Money was her only attraction. But the experience of being arrested has scared her, and she realises she can’t continue in this vein.

“There was nobody coercing her. She did this of her own free will. Her mother didn’t know what she had been doing, and is trying to work with her at home to resolve her emotional and self-esteem issues.

“It is a sad state of affairs she got involved in prostitution at a young age. She is a bright girl with a bright future ahead of her.”

The court heard police had been targeting the Woodgrange estate area of Southend as part of Operation Trestle, with patrols to disrupt prostitutes and kerb crawlers.

During the operation, officers had been taking details of the girls and issuing warnings that if they offend again they would be arrested.

The youngster, who had previously received a warning, was arrested on March 3 after officers in a marked police car recognised her and spotted her getting into the man’s car.

Ian Elkins, prosecuting, said: “In interview with her mother present she made full admissions. She had first met the driver a month earlier, and he paid her for sex in a car park.

“They exchanged telephone numbers and agreed to meet for the same purpose again. They agreed to meet and she confirmed she was going to give him sexual services before the police attended.”

The court was told the girl, who was sat with her mother in court, had been working as a prostitute for a month.

Mr Elkins added: “She said she only did this for money, not because of drugs.

“Operation Trestle recognises many of the women are themselves vulnerable and have drug issues.”

The girl pleaded guilty to being a common prostitute soliciting in a street.

Social services are now working with the family, and the youngster will be given counselling.

Her arrest occured while she was subject to a referral order with the youth offending team, imposed by the youth court on February 4 for shoplifting.

Chairman of the magistrates’ bench, Colin Campbell, said: “I’m going to give you an absolute discharge.

“Although you are guilty, I’m not punishing you for it.

“However, your referral order will continue.”

Speaking after the case, Sgt Paul Ahmed, an officer working on Operation Trestle, said: “The court action is a positive result for this young girl, and she will be offered help from relevant agencies to prevent her reoffending.

“Youth offending and drug action teams will offer her help to move away from this lifestyle and we hope turn her life around.”