A CATHOLIC primary school teacher who raped or indecently dealt with 13 students aged nine and 10, has been sentenced to 10 years jail but could be out in six.

The mothers of some victims sobbed audibly in the Toowoomba District Court, west of Brisbane, as details of the 44 offences were read out describing how Gerard Byrnes, 61, brazenly raped girls at his desk during class, The Courier-Mail reports.

On two occasions Byrnes, who served as the school's child protection officer, called girls back to the classroom during a break in class and committed offences.

The court also heard how his offending continued for another year after a girl complained to the school principal.

Officials from the Catholic Church were in court for the sentencing before Judge Sarah Bradley.

Byrnes, a father of eight from Toowoomba, has already served 23 months in pre-sentence custody.

State Opposition justice spokesman Lawrence Springborg has called on the Attorney-General to immediately appeal the sentence.

Read more at The Courier-Mail.