A man who ridiculed a dying three-year-old and filmed it on a mobile phone has applied for a new parole period so he can continue community-based rehabilitation under supervision.

David Mamo died from internal injuries at Semaphore Park in Adelaide's north-west after a beating during 2006.

His mother, Melissa Field, and her partner at the time, David Partridge, were jailed for criminal neglect.

Partridge filmed the child as he died and could be heard mocking him.

The 38-year-old was released on parole last year but the Supreme Court heard he had repeatedly breached his parole by taking drugs and was returned to custody.

His lawyer, Amanda Lambden, asked the court to set a new non-parole period.

She said her client's head sentence expired in June 2017 and if he was released then he would not have any supervision at all.

"Being in the community supervised is the best course of action, not only for the community but for Mr Partridge, especially given the parole board wants the application and there's no further rehabilitation he can receive in custody," she said.

Murder charges dropped despite child's death

Murder charges were dropped against Patridge and Field because prosecutors could not prove who struck the blows.

Field alleged Partridge repeatedly kicked the child in the stomach but Partridge denied inflicting the injuries.

Partridge was jailed for 11 years and three months for criminal neglect, almost twice as long as David's mother, who was convicted of the same charges.

He was given a non-parole period of seven years and three months and was released on parole in March 2015.

Prosecutor Jemma Litster said Partridge had shown a lack of engagement and commitment to rehabilitation.

"It is the case that he's had counselling programs offered to him while in custody," she said.

"It's the case that the outcome of that process hasn't borne fruit and it's clear that's a reflection of his attitude to these programs.

"The accused has repeatedly breached his parole by using drugs. It has occurred under warnings from the Parole Board."

Partridge with 'supportive partner' who reconnected via Facebook

Ms Lambden said her client had a supportive partner who would be a positive influence and would help Partridge overcome his drug addiction.

"Both her and her family support Mr Partridge and he's known her for 18 years but they reconnected on Facebook in January 2016," she said.

Ms Lambden said it was important to note that outside his drug use, her client had not re-offended while on parole.

"While there has been drug use, and I'm not diminishing the importance of that, there has been no new offending," she said.

"He has remained offending-free, demonstrating there has been significant steps forward given his prior history, and the final hurdle for Mr Partridge to overcome is that of drug use."

Justice Anne Bampton will deliver her ruling on the application later this month.