Australian teacher charged with rape

BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Australian prosecutors say a teacher who was his school's child protection officer has been charged with 46 counts of sexually abusing children.

The 59-year-old man, whose identity has been withheld under Australian law, is alleged to have raped and sexually abused 13 girls as young as age 10 at a Roman Catholic primary school in Queensland, The Australian reported Monday.

The man, who is married with children and does not have a criminal record, recently had retired from full-time teaching and returned as a relief teacher in the Catholic school system, police said.

The teacher served as the primary school's nominated "child protection

officer," a position established to protect children from sexual abuse, said John Borserio, a spokesman for the school, noting other schools where the man taught have been contacted.

"I am not aware of any complaint at other schools but we have made the

principals aware," Borserio said.