A vicar has walked free from court after facing theft and false accounting charges.
The Reverend David John Green of Maughold had denied all the allegations against him, which were from the period 1997 to 2009.
This afternoon (Friday) he appeared in court to hear the verdict and was found not guilty on all counts.
Giving the reasons for his judgement High Bailiff John Needham described him as 'financially incompetent and foolish but not dishonest'.
The Reverend Green was accused of stealing more than £11,000 and submitting false records, involving the Maughold Burial Authority, the Diocese of Sodor and Mann and Maughold Parochial Church Council.
But the high bailiff said it had been for the prosecution to prove the vicar had acted dishonestly in his handling of money matters.
Summing up the case, he painted a picture of a man who was disorganised and hopeless with money, but said he hadn’t been convinced he had intended to steal or acted in a dishonest manner.
Mr Needham dismissed all the charges, but said the case had been properly prosecuted and so didn't award costs to the defence, leaving Reverend Green with a £32,000 legal bill.
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