Belfast woman uses sister’s name after being found with drugs at police station

The defendant’s sister runs a successful cleaning business and upon renewal of an Access NI check, she subsequently became aware of the Community Resolution Notice against her and had to notify police it wasn’t her

A Belfast woman who provided police with her sister’s name following a search was handed a suspended sentence today.

Elaine Pierce was both arraigned on two charges and sentenced at Belfast Crown Court by Judge Mark Reel.

The 39-year old, from Stormount Street in the east of the city, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and was handed a four-month sentence which was suspended for 12 months.

She was also fined £60 for a charge of possessing the Class C drug Pregabalin.

The court heard that on August 19, 2025 Pierce was in a flat with a man, drink was consumed and the male then phoned a taxi for Pierce to take her from his property.

After getting into the taxi, she provided the driver with a number of different addresses to take her to.

The fed-up taxi driver then dropped her off outside Grosvenor Road police station.

She was spoken to at the station by officers and due to concerns she was under the influence, Pierce was searched for drugs and was found to be in possession of Pregabalin without a prescription.

She was handed a Community Resolution Notice but falsely provided police with her sister’s name instead of hers.

The defendant’s sister runs a successful cleaning business and upon renewal of an Access NI check, she subsequently became aware of the Community Resolution Notice against her and had to notify police it wasn’t her.

Solicitor Jonathan Burke said his client was “a lady with a very troubled past” and said the offence of perverting the course of justice by providing police with her sister’s name was “always something that was going to be detected.”

Mr Burke also revealed that whilst Pierce had “foolishly” given her sister’s name, the sibling remains a support to his client.

The solicitor also told Judge Reel that Pierce has been in custody since May 30 when her bail was revoked due to her home being damaged by arson.

As he passed sentence, Judge Reel noted Pierce had a “long history of problems with alcohol” and had suffered domestic abuse by a former partner.

The Judge also branded her criminal record, which consists of 99 previous convictions, as “appalling.”

Regarding the offence of perverting the course of justice, Judge Reel said it emerged when it “began to affect the victim” but was “at the bottom of the criminal calendar”

After he handed Pierce the suspended sentence, Judge Reel warned her that if she commits “any offence punishable by imprisonment” in the next 12 months, that would mean a return to court and a likelihood of serving the four-month sentence in addition to any other sentence imposed.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.