The former head of the State Emergency Service (SES) has been found not guilty of sacking a whistleblower, with a magistrate finding Murray Kear acted with "no revenge, pay-back or retaliation".

Murray Kear was the first person to be charged under New South Wales' whistleblower protection laws, after the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) found he had acted corruptly by dismissing his deputy Tara McCarthy in 2013.

The offence carries a maximum two-year jail sentence.

Ms McCarthy had alleged that another SES deputy and Kear's friend Steve Pearce had misused an SES credit card and potentially falsified diary notes but Mr Pearce was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Downing Centre Local Court was packed with Mr Kear's supporters for the verdict this afternoon.

As Magistrate Greg Grogin read out the words "not guilty" they clapped and cheered.

"I accept Mr Kear did not make the decision to terminate the services of Tara McCarthy lightly or quickly," Magistrate Grogin told the court.

"I find that there were many factors behind the dismissal of Ms McCarthy by the defendant - the inability of Ms McCarthy to assimilate into, cooperate within and lead the SES was, I find, the primary and substantial reason for her dismissal by the defendant.

"I am satisfied that the defendant did not dismiss Ms McCarthy as a reprisal, substantial or otherwise, for her making public interest disclosures.

"I find there was no element of revenge, pay-back or retaliation against Ms McCarthy by the defendant."

Magistrate Grogin said he accepted that conflict between Mr Pearce and Mc McCarthy "caused the defendant great concern" and that he sought advice, counsel and assistance from a number of people within the emergency services community whom he respected, before he dismissed her.

"I accept the defendant invested time, energy and financial resources to try to remedy the toxic relationship between Ms McCarthy and Mr Pearce," Magistrate Grogin said.

Kear urges Premier Mike Baird to examine ICAC's actions

Outside court Murray Kear said he was relieved.

"It's like being in a brawl for two years and on the last day being told you're a good bloke," Mr Kear said.

"It's been a terrible journey for my wife, my family and all of my friends.

"I'm amazed at the support I got, but what really disappoints me is that it got to this stage - that we had to come to court to prove something that I think was obvious to most people from the word go."

He urged NSW Premier Mike Baird to look into the actions of ICAC because the commission's probe into him had "ruined his life".

Mr Kear said he will be seeking costs after spending around $150,000 fighting the charges levelled against him.

Mr Pearce also came to court to hear today's verdict.

"It's public vindication ... it's been a debacle of an investigation right from the outset," Mr Pearce said.

"It's something that's impacted not just Murray Kear's career, but my own, also our entire families – financially, psychologically and emotionally."