Busselton Senior High School principal John Watters faces fraud charges over alleged misuse of credit card

The principal of a South West high school has appeared in court on fraud charges after allegedly forging documentation to cover up inappropriate use of an Education Department credit card. John Gregory Watters, 47, appeared in Busselton Magistrates Court on Tuesday on three charges of forging a record with intent to defraud and three charges of gaining benefit from such. Police allege that transactions Mr Watters made on a credit card provided by his employer were subsequently scrutinised and referred to police for further investigation. Mr Watters, who has been a teacher for more than 20 years, was appointed principal of Busselton Senior High School in 2021. The court was told that between August 10 and October 11 last year, Mr Watters allegedly falsified three sales receipts after purchasing food and alcohol in Busselton and Perth. The first was for prominent Busselton brewery Shelter Brewing Co., where Mr Watters allegedly spent $95.99 on alcohol and clothing. The second allegedly documented $138 spent at Fremantle’s Warders Hotel on a variety of food and alcohol. The final receipt allegedly showed $285.76 spent on a range of camping clothing and accessories at Anaconda Busselton. During the hearing, Mr Watters spoke only to confirm his identity and that he understood the charges. His lawyer, Mark Andrews, told the court he was still “making his way through” his client’s “lengthy” police interview — telling the court it was nearly five hours long. The matter was adjourned for legal advice, with Mr Watters set to reappear in April. He has been suspended from his job since the charges were laid last month. On the Busselton SHS website, Mr Watters wrote that he had been twice nominated as a teacher of the year and had been a leader in regional and city schools. He also wrote that he firmly believed that all students should leave high school with a pathway that set them up for future success. When he first took the helm after a six-month process to find a new leader, the former sports and science teacher said he had been keen to produce good students. “I didn’t look at a beachside suburb and think ‘gee, I want to live there, and by the way I can also get a job here’, it was about what I can add to the school,” he said at the time.