SA pedophile makes fresh bid for freedom

A notorious pedophile's bid for freedom is doomed to fail unless he undergoes further rehabilitation, a court has heard.

Repeat sex offender Mark Trevor Marshall, 46, has asked to be released into the South Australian community under supervision.

Marshall was jailed indefinitely in 2009 but later given permission to apply for release.

His first application was abandoned in 2014 after items including missing children media articles and photos of children clipped from magazines and newspapers were found in his cell.

In the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Marshall appeared without a lawyer via videolink from prison to launch a second bid for freedom.

During a lengthy and rambling testimony, Marshall claimed he had been assaulted, abused and threatened by prison guards.

"It's my safety that's under threat at the moment," he said.

"I'm not very happy with the situation I'm being kept in and the effect it's having on me mentally."

Marshall, who had previously been deemed unwilling or unable to control his sexual instincts, also alleged that a young girl had been coerced into testifying against him.

Prison rehabilitation manager Clark Sim told the court Marshall would be classed as a high-risk offender largely because of his offending history.

Marshall suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled with a "dual role" as offender and victim because, as a child, he had been sexually abused and forced to abuse other children.

It would be difficult but not impossible to treat Marshall's PTSD in a prison setting, Mr Sim added.

The court heard Marshall had undergone more than 70 individual sessions with a psychologist in addition to about 200 hours of group therapy sessions between 2012 and 2014.

But prosecutor Lucy Boord noted that he had not had treatment since 2014, meaning the assessments of forensic psychiatrists were unlikely to change.

"It may be that his application is doomed to failure," Ms Boord said.

Ms Boord suggested the matter could be held off for six to nine months to allow Marshall to undergo further treatment.

Justice Ann Vanstone told Marshall she would adjourn the matter until April 19 to allow him to consider his options.