'I felt sick': Parents' shock after Illawarra teacher's alleged abuse

"Mummy, Mr E and I have a secret," the mother, who cannot be named, said her daughter told her after school one afternoon.

Keith William Eshman, 37, faced the second day of his Wollongong District Court trial on Tuesday, where both of the complainant's parents gave evidence on the witness stand.

Eshman, a one-time Wests Tigers player, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexually touching a child under 10 and three counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

In opening submissions on Monday, the jury heard Eshman allegedly put his fingers in the girl's vagina as well as performing oral sex on her.

On Tuesday, the complainant's mother told the jury of the moment her "heart just stopped" after her daughter disclosed the alleged abuse.

"My heart just stopped and I felt sick," she said.

She said her daughter told her that "Mr E" touched her vagina on the inside and outside of her clothing, and that he grabbed her hand and put it on his genitals over his clothing.

"I was frantic," the woman told the jury, adding that she immediately called her husband, who rushed home.

Her husband was visibly distressed when he told the jury his daughter told him Eshman forced her to perform a sex act on him.

"I was in a fair bit of shock," the complainant's father said, choking back tears throughout his testimony.

He asked the girl to "show me" what happened, to which she grabbed her father's hand, put it on his lap and rubbed.

"I said, 'Where was this happening?' and she said there was a secret place," the father said.

"I asked how long it had been and she said, 'I don't know daddy, it's been a long year'."

The couple immediately reported the matter to the school, bringing their daughter with them.

The deputy principal and principal, who cannot be named, gave evidence of how they reported Eshman to police after the girl disclosed the allegations.

"She said it happened when other students were present and also when she collected her drink bottle (from the classroom)," the deputy principal said.

Eshman was arrested the next day.

The mother said her daughter disclosed the extent of the alleged abuse over the coming months, including once during their bedtime routine when they would watch YouTube videos together.

"We were watching something and she said she had another secret to tell me," the woman said.

She said her daughter told her "Mr E licked her private parts" then she "went on her knees and described what he did".

Under cross-examination, defence barrister Brendan Green reminded the mother of when her daughter touched her private parts in public on previous occasions asking her whether that was a "family secret".

"No," the mother said.

Mr Green told the jury his client denies the allegations ever took place. The trial continues.