A PROSTITUTE was hit by a punter's car and plunged 20ft to her death after a Valentine's Day row, a court heard yesterday.

Veteran prostitute Elizabeth Hedley, 60, had allegedly gone to Michael McKay's car to perform a sex act.

She and McKay, a 50-year-old law student, were spotted on security cameras in a heated row shortly afterwards.

A jury at Newcastle Crown Court watched the tape yesterday as Mrs Hedley's death unfolded before the camera.

It showed McKay's car reverse from its position, the driver switch on the lights and then Mrs Hedley, frozen in the beam, being thrown over a low wall to her death.

McKay's Mercedes hit the wall and overturned, landing on its roof.

The court heard he then lied to police who arrived at the scene, claiming he had been in the car alone and that no other incident had taken place.

It was 12 hours before Mrs Hedley's body was found outside the goods entrance to a Marks and Spencer branch in South Shields by staff arriving for work.

Jeremy Richardson, prosecuting, said the pair met hours earlier when McKay popped into Hanlon's Well pub, in South Shields, South Tyneside, after a college computer course.

They began talking and Mrs Hedley, a known prostitute, agreed to go to McKay's car.

He drove 100 yards to North Street car park, arriving there at 6.48pm on February 14.

McKay of Vale House, Jesmond Vale, Newcastle, denies murder.

The trial continues.