A Somerset woman whose name was written on a note carried by a man who was arrested by Police for allegedly smuggling with $90,000 worth of liquid cocaine yesterday denied knowing the man.

Kathy Tait, giving evidence in the Supreme Court trial of Clifton Hopeton Morrison, 38, of St. Ann's Parish, Jamaica, said she had never heard of him.

Morrison, represented by Victoria Pearman, has denied possession of cocaine with intent to supply, importing cocaine, and an alternative charge of knowingly handling cocaine.

Morrison is said to have contracted in Jamaica to bring two one-litre bottles of rum to Bermuda in exchange for $5,000. The court heard he was to meet Kathy Tait of 26 Cooks Hill, Somerset at the Bermuda International Airport on February 6.

He is said to have smuggled the liquid cocaine in the bottles -- contained in a duty-free liquor box -- into Bermuda. The court heard last week that Morrison arrived in Bermuda on American Airlines flight 1444 from Miami on 6 February 1999.

Ms Tait told Crown Counsel Sandra Bacchus she had lived at 25 Cooks Hill Road, Somerset since 1983.

Ms Bacchus asked who else lived in the house and Ms Tait said her mother, sister, brother and two children also lived there.

She told Ms Bacchus that on February 6 only her son, Alan Rudolph Nathaniel Tait, who had recently returned from New York was present. Ms Tait was arrested on the same day.

Ms Bacchus then asked: "Do you know anyone called Morrison?'' Ms Tait replied: "No.'' Ms Bacchus: "You were recently in Jamaica.'' Ms Tait: "I went to Jamaica with five ladies on a charter and returned in January. I stayed at the Golden Shore resort in St. Thomas.'' Ms Bacchus: "Were you in Jamaica in August, 1998?'' Ms Tait: "No.'' Ms Bacchus: "Did you give your address to anyone in Jamaica?'' Ms Tait: "Only a little girl at the house we were staying at, I knew her.'' In cross-examination by Ms Pearman, Ms Tait said she had been in Jamaica "many years ago'' and that her former husband was from Jamaica.

She told her that at the time of her arrest, her son, Alan Rudolph Nathaniel Tait, was abroad and she later said he had also spent time at Westgate Correctional Facility.

Ms Pearman then asked: "Has anyone had access to your telephone between December 1998 and February 1999?'' Ms Tait: "It is a family house, I stay downstairs.'' Ms Pearman: "Do you have a friend called a Mr. Wilson who had access to your phone?'' Ms Tait: "Yes.'' Ms Pearman: "Did he make any calls to Jamaica from your phone?'' Ms Tait: "Yes.'' Ms Pearman: "Several telephone calls were made to Jamaica from your phone in December 1998, true?'' Ms Tait: "Yes.'' Ms Pearman: "Any of them were made by you, Ma'am?'' Ms Tait: "Yes, some were made by me. I called the guest house in Jamaica to make reservations.'' Ms Pearman: "Do you recall calls to Negril and Kingston?'' Ms Tait: "Yes, when the lady who was cooking for us called from St. Thomas the calls came through Kingston, and the Negril ones were to Mr. Wilson's brother.'' Ms Pearman: "Do you recall telling the Police that there was a number you do not know of on your telephone bill.'' Ms Tait: "No, I do not recall.'' Ms Tait then told Ms Pearman that the Police asked about calls made to Jamaica from her home after December 19, including two made to Golden Shore guest house in Jamaica, a call on Christmas Day from her daughter, and the other was to the house she was staying.

She said she was not asked by Police about calls made before December, 1998, but told Ms Pearman that some calls were made by "Ky Wilson''.

And she said Mr. Wilson had accompanied her when she visited her daughter on her last trip to Jamaica.

Ms Pearman then asked Ms Tait if she recalled the Police asking about the telephone call to Negril. Ms Tait replied: "Yes, those calls were by his (Mr.

Wilson's) brother.'' Ms Pearman suggested yesterday that her client was not told he had been arrested and questions were then put to him by investigating Det. Con. Dennis Astwood. Det. Con. Astwood denied both claims.

Ms Pearman also argued her client did not know the bottles contained cocaine.

The trial continues today before Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller.

DRUGS DGS