Former Illawarra teacher, Wests Tigers player not guilty to sexually touching child, jury finds
A jury has found a former primary school teacher and one-time Wests Tigers NRL player not guilty of sexually touching a child without consent, following a week-long trial.
Illawarra Star
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A former schoolteacher and one-time Wests Tigers NRL player has been found not guilty of sexually touching a child.
The verdict for Keith Eshman, 38, comes after a week-long trial before Judge Imad Abdul-Karim in Wollongong District Court.
The allegation, of which Eshman has now been acquitted, dated back to late 2022.
Eshman pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The jury’s verdict came on Friday after just one hour of deliberation, following evidence from the child’s father, police, various staff at the school and Eshman himself.
In closing addresses on Thursday, Eshman’s defence barrister Matthew Barnes urged the jury to use “common sense” after hearing all evidence in the trial.
Crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay described the child complainant as “truthful, accurate and serious”.
However, the jury ultimately found Eshman not guilty of the charge.
The child sexual touching trial was the second for Eshman after a jury was unable to come to a unanimous verdict on the same charge in 2024.
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