A prostitute hit on an innovative money-spinning scheme - by pretending by to an undercover vice squad officer.

Shelley Anne Hill even made herself a fake police squad badge to con unsuspecting drivers out of hundreds of pounds.

She charged a fine and an administration fee and even wrote bemused motorists fake receipts.

And she even told her victims that they could reclaim the administration fee by going to their local police station.

But her scam came to an end when one victim reported to his local police station to demand the fee back.

Teesside magistrates were told how Hill was caught as she walked around an area known as the Mandale triangle in Thornaby, near Stockton, in May.

Victoria Lamballe, prosecuting, told the hearing that Hill flashed a fake police badge at a driver when he pulled up alongside her.

She said: "The woman asked the driver if he wanted any business and he said no.

"The female then identified herself as a Middlesbrough vice officer called Detective Constable Scott.

"She then told him he had three options - pay a £150 fine, secondly go to court or thirdly be disqualified from driving for three months.

"The man went with her to a cashpoint machine and removed £200."

The 27-year-old, of Varo Terrace, Stockton, then took all the cash and issued the victim with a fake receipt.

"He was told to go to Middlesbrough police station on May 11 and get back a £50 administration fee," said Ms Lamballe.

"He did go to the police station and it was at this point he was told he had been duped."

The victim told police he had pulled over to make sure she was al right walking the streets alone in the early hours of the morning.

In mitigation, Paul Dixon said the good Samaritan was anything but.

He said the man had pulled over to solicit Hill, who was addicted to crack cocaine at the time.

Mr Dixon said: "She is a young girl who was being exploited. She was selling sex to fund her drug addiction.

"This is not a good Samaritan who has been exploited, it is someone who has had the tables turned on him."

Hill pleaded guilty to impersonating a police officer and obtaining property by deception when she appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court.

She also pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag from a woman in a Tesco supermarket in Stockton, and being in possession of a Class A drug.

She was also banned from driving for 12 months under the totting-up procedure after she admitted driving without a licence, insurance and MOT in May this year.

The hearing was adjourned for sentence at Teesside Crown Court at a date yet to be fixed. Hill was remanded in custody.