Illawarra school teacher accused of sexually abusing girl in classroom

Keith William Eshman, 37, is defending the allegations at Wollongong District Court after he pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexually touching a child under 10 and three counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

The ex-teacher and one-time Wests Tigers player faced the first day of his trial on Monday.

In her opening address, Crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay said Eshman messaged the complainant's mother after he noticed her daughter touching herself at school.

"I just spoke with Mr Eshman, is there anything you need to tell me?," Ms Keay said the mother asked her daughter.

When this was put to her, the complainant became distressed, started crying and scratched her chest so hard she drew blood.

The next day, it's alleged the complainant told her mother: "Mummy, Mr Eshman told me that we have a secret."

Ms Keay said this was reported to police and the girl disclosed that Eshman allegedly repeatedly touched her genitals in the "secret corner" of a classroom and that he grabbed her hand and put it on his genitals over his clothing.

When he allegedly forced her to touch him, Eshman allegedly told the girl that "it feels nice for me" and "don't tell your parents".

The girl drew a picture for police which showed the layout of the classroom, specifying the nook where Eshman allegedly made her lie on her back on a pillow.

She made two further disclosures to her parents over the coming months, telling her mother: "I want to tell you something upstairs ... I have another secret to tell you."

The complainant told her mother Eshman allegedly put his finger inside her vagina and disclosed this to police in a second interview.

Ms Keay said the girl made another disclosure that Eshman also allegedly "licked her vagina". He allegedly abused her in the same manner on another occasion.

When police arrested Eshman, they seized his iPhone and Apple MacBook and allegedly found Google searches about whether it was normal for a child to touch themselves and whether they can orgasm.

He also allegedly searched, "child behaviours after grooming" and "child behaviours after sexual touching", with news articles about child abuse and paedophilia allegedly found in his search history.

Defence barrister Brendan Green told the jury Eshman is innocent and that he denies the allegations ever took place.

"He's not less innocent because of the position he occupies in the courtroom," Mr Green said.

"Reserve your judgement until you have heard all of the evidence."

Eshman, who is on bail, is no longer working in schools. The complainant gave evidence in a closed court on Monday afternoon.

The trial is expected to run for two weeks.