A survivor of paedophile Stephen Hamra has said he is relieved the former Adelaide schoolteacher, who was sentenced to at least nine years' jail on Thursday, will now not be able to "hurt anyone else".

Key points: The court heard Hamra preyed upon Mr Trembath and one of his brothers

The court heard Hamra preyed upon Mr Trembath and one of his brothers Hamra worked at Saint Ignatius College and Christian Brothers College

Hamra worked at Saint Ignatius College and Christian Brothers College He was sentenced to 12 years' jail with a non-parole period of nine years and seven months

Greg Trembath, 48, waived the statutory suppression on his identity in the hope that speaking out would encourage other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward.

His abuser Stephen John Hamra, 63, was convicted of persistent sexual exploitation of a child and maintaining an unlawful sexual relationship with a child after separate trials in Adelaide's District Court.

A yearbook photo of Stephen Hamra from his time as a teacher at Saint Ignatius College. ( Saint Ignatius College )

The court heard Hamra, who worked at Saint Ignatius College and Christian Brothers College during his long teaching career, preyed upon Mr Trembath and one of his brothers between 1977 and 1982.

It heard Hamra befriended Mr Trembath's parents at a social event and was invited into the family home to tutor one of their sons as he was working as a primary school teacher at the time.

After six years of legal proceedings, Hamra was finally sentenced on Thursday to 12 years in jail with a non-parole period of nine years and seven months.

Outside court, Mr Trembath said while he was pleased with the sentence, he would have liked Hamra to spend longer behind bars for his crimes.

"I carry a sentence every day of my life, I have a life sentence and nothing can change it," he said.

"I'm just pleased justice has been served, basically he can't offend, he can't hurt anyone else. That's what makes me happy."

'You can become a survivor'

Mr Trembath said he hoped speaking out without concealing his identity would encourage other abuse survivors to do the same.

"I think there is a lot of shame with what had occurred to us and what's occurred to many people, however, I do feel that it may give people strength and an understanding that you can come through and you can become a survivor," he said.

"The only person that will ever win through feelings of hate … is unfortunately him, you as a victim will be the one who ends up destroying your own life."

In his victim impact statement, Mr Trembath questioned how someone in the trusted position of a teacher could prey upon children.

"Upon reflection I have had the chance to think that it is the loss of human potential that disturbs me the most," he said.

"How an educator could happily continue to destroy lives when he was meant to be there to nurture, develop and protect is unfathomable."

Mother of victims felt immensely betrayed

Mr Trembath's brother told the court of his ongoing struggles and how he lives in constant fear of being "victimised" again.

"I lost land and my house due to my inability to hold down employment … I ceased education because of my mistrust of teachers," he said.

"I know I could have been anything if I had not been a victim of this crime."

Hamra was convicted after separate trials in Adelaide's District Court.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Paul Rice said Hamra grossly breached the family's trust.

"There has been no doubt these are serious offences … the family trusted you and you preyed upon two of the boys," he said.

"This was a gross breach of the trust the family placed in you, they welcomed you into the family and you repaid their friendship by abusing two of their sons."

The court heard Mr Trembath's mother felt immensely betrayed.

"She believed she was providing a safe and nurturing environment for her children, little did she know you were covertly undermining her beliefs," Judge Rice said.

Hamra unsuccessfully tried to appeal against his convictions and has shown no remorse for his offending.

He has been in custody since January 2017, making him eligible for parole in 2026.