The Western Australian principal on trial for alleged gross misuse of school funds and cover-ups with arson has been found not guilty on a few charges.

As previously reported the former principal of the Meekatharra School of the Air has faced trial for over two hundred counts of theft and fraud as well as three counts of arson.

The jury in his case has cleared 50-year-old John Michael McHale of attempting to burn down his own remote West Australian school to cover up the tracks of his stealing, for which he has been found guilty. The jury said he did not start the first fire at the Meekatharra school, it was undecided about the second and the third fire (at a replacement building in Geraldton) was not his fault either.

McHale has been found guilty on three counts of stealing as a servant - he will remain in custody awaiting his sentence for the fraud and theft charges in September.