Principal stole $50,000 from WA school THE principal of a remote West Australian school, who used more than $50,000 of school money to pay for groceries over more than three years, is facing a lengthy prison term. John Michael McHale admitted to 266 fraud and dishonesty charges after education bosses discovered he had used his position as the head of the Meekatharra School of the Air to access school money for his own ends. The father-of-three also admitted to forging a doctor's signature to falsely claim sick leave and making bogus insurance claims for school property he took home and claimed had been stolen. He even sold school games and DVDs for cash. West Australian District Court Judge Patrick O'Neal was told that McHale got a thrill or a rush every time he would defraud the school, and eventually became addicted to the offending. He used both the school's bank account and credit card more than 200 times to buy items from the Farmer Jack's store in Meekatharra. And prosecutor Laura Christian also said both staff and teachers felt bullied by McHale, who would resist any questioning of his management of the school's budget during his time in charge from 2005 to 2009. "The victims here were the students, because the funds which were stolen were not available for use by the students of the school," Ms Christian said. The court was told McHale, who served 12 years in the Navy before becoming a teacher, would buy his groceries - including lamb cutlets, dog food, and garden mulch - with school funds up to five times a week. Defence lawyer Laurie Levy said McHale's family and friends were shocked by the offences. The court also heard McHale had initially been charged with a hammer attack on the auditor sent to study the school's finances, but a jury had found him not guilty after he claimed self-defence. He was then accused of burning down the school, and its replacement in Geraldton, to destroy financial records that would have revealed his dishonesty. After a trial earlier this year, a jury found him not guilty of starting either fire. Judge O'Neal will sentence McHale next Friday.