A principal in Western Australia is facing court on charges he burned down a school and the building that replaced it, in order to cover up a range of credit card frauds and thefts.

John Michael McHale, 50, is charged with three counts of arson and three counts of stealing as a servant, following the series of events beginning in 2006.

Mr McHale was principal of the Meekatharra School of the Air in 2006 when two separate fires left the remote school's single-building premises in ruins.

The school – which provides invaluable education services to students in areas too remote to access traditional classrooms – was moved to a temporary new home in Geraldton in 2008 which was also suspiciously damaged by fire, according to police.

At the start of his District Court trial in Perth the jury has heard Mr McHale started all three fires to hide a history of ripping off funds meant for the school, and some of its property as well. Prosecutors allege McHale was attempting to destroy the school's financial records in the fires. He pleaded guilty to 266 counts of theft and fraud totalling thousands of dollars.

A police search of the ex-principal's house revealed cameras, cash, an iPod, appliances, a TV, two laptops, oil heaters and other goods, all belonging to the School of the Air. McHale claimed he had all the equipment at his house because he was planning a school camp. Seemingly, the camp was to take place somewhere within the 540,000 sq km range between students, and at a site that required a cordless phone, TV and oil heater.

The Meekatharra School of the Air managed to recover from Mr McHale's administration in 2011, reopening at a cost of $3.7 million. The trial is expected to last two weeks.