A South Australian paedophile who has admitted sexually abusing nine young boys refuses to participate in rehabilitation programs because he finds them embarrassing and unbecoming, a court has heard.

Norman Vivian Pearce, 80, is already serving a 14-year sentence after he was in 2008 found guilty of 19 child sex offences involving eight boys between 1980 and 1992.

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He has recently admitted three further abuses against another boy aged at the time between 13 and 16.

In a victim impact statement read to the South Australian District Court on Thursday, the man said he met Pearce through an air cadet program and was invited to attend additional meetings.

"I trusted and admired him as the air youth senior," he said.

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The man said he was "confused and terrified" when Pearce began grooming him with takeaway foods and computer games, then abusing him.

"I said nothing," he said.

"I was scared, helpless, desensitised and eventually brainwashed into thinking it was normal."

'Fear of being mocked'

Shane Spence, for Pearce, said her client was extremely remorseful for his actions and has made no application for parole despite reaching eligibility last year.

But she said he had declined to take part in rehabilitation programs for fear of being mocked by other prisoners.

Chevron Right Icon 'It is embarrassing and not becoming.'

"They're group sessions, they're not confidential and whatever is spoken about in them is then spoken about freely in the prison," she said.

"It is embarrassing and not becoming."

Judge Rauf Soulio remanded Pearce in custody to reappear before the court next month.