Wayne Robinson was on Wednesday jailed for at least seven years and 10 months for the offending, which involved masturbation, oral sex, penetration and groping.

The now 48-year-old father-of-two preyed upon students at the Northern Rivers Academy of Music between January 2005 and February 2018, with Judge Paul Higham noting his presentation as a happily married man hid "deviant sexual interest in adolescent and prepubescent males".

Two victims broke down in court as details of their abuse were read out.

One had been woken by Robinson performing a sex act upon him in a bed at Robinson's home after being groped inside Robinson's car as he drove.

He was visibly elated after Robinson received a maximum jail term of 11 years and six months.

"That's so good," he said while smiling before embracing family members and police, and high-fiving others.

Robinson - who was attacked in jail before being sentenced, and bore a bruise - claimed the victims were the instigators of most sexual incidents, and that he had forgotten boundaries and let things get too far.

A mother told The Border Mail outside court, fighting back tears, she would never forgive Robinson but was largely happy with the outcome.

"I'm not sure what I'd be happy with," she said of the jail term.

"There is no limit to the time I'd be happy with.

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"To do that to a person who is in there, under their care and supervision, in that position of power is not acceptable.

"I know it's not about revenge, but all these children that were subject to that, it's a life sentence for them.

"It doesn't define them, no, but it's still there and it always will be."

Last week County Court heard staff raised concerns about his behaviour towards students eight years ago.

Robinson still has the support of his wife.

His business, which employed 14 people, has closed.

The discovery of Robinson's web history led to a ruse in which he sent nude images to a boy he thought was 15 and led his secret life to unravel.

"Over thirteen years and with a predator's instinct, you chose the vulnerable, the confused and the grateful," Judge Higham said.

"By slow and incremental steps and pretences, always at your direction and initiation, and with equal traumatic impact upon the emotional and sexual development of your victims, you reduced your victims to mere objects to be used by you in satisfaction of your deviant desires."

He noted the impact such offending had on young people.

"Mr Robinson, offending against children will always be viewed by the courts as serous offending," the judge said.

"There has been a growing recognition by the courts of the lasting impact that such offending has upon children and how it can often lead to lives that are not fully lived.

"Children who have been sexually offended against have their innocence and sense of self stolen from them.

"They blame themselves for acts committed against them by adults and for which they are completely without blame.

"They struggle to engage in healthy relationships.

"They struggle to find their place in the world.

"Crimes against children are crimes against our common future and our common humanity.

"The courts have said time and time again that they will do everything within their power to protect children."

Robinson, who will be a registered sex offender for life, bore a bruise after being assaulted in custody.

Judge Higham said it was "negligent in the extreme" he had been in mainstream prison.