Former South Australian MP Bernard Finnigan has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for obtaining access to child pornography, but the prison term has been suspended in favour of a good behaviour bond.

The former Labor Government minister was found guilty of obtaining access to child pornography at his Sefton Park home in Adelaide on Christmas Eve in 2010.

During sentencing, Judge Steven Millsteed said Finnigan, 43, would have bleak future employment prospects and political colleagues had "severed all ties" with him.

He said behaviour such as Finnigan's encouraged "the vile degradation and sexual exploitation of children".

Judge Millsteed said Finnigan had refused to acknowledge his guilt and shown no remorse over his offending.

The trial heard Finnigan had entered the search term "little teens" into Google and clicked on links to child pornography websites.

The judge earlier revoked a suppression order on the search terms used, saying the public should be aware that typing such phrases into a search engine could get them into serious trouble.

The ABC has chosen not to reveal other search terms due to their graphic nature.

The judge said that even though Finnigan's offending was at the lower end of the scale of seriousness, it had not been an isolated act.

"Your offending, as I have pointed out, was not an isolated or impulsive act — it was preceded by an earlier attempt to access child pornography," he said.

"Your offending, while short-lived, involved a serious breach of the criminal law."

Conviction warranted, judge said

Judge Millsteed said he would not spare Finnigan a conviction.

"Even if I had such power I would not exercise it in your favour," he said.

He said that without a psychological report he was unable to make a determination about Finnigan's prospects for rehabilitation.

Defence lawyer Hannah Doyle previously said her client could not afford a report from his treating psychologist, who had been helping him overcome his addiction to adult pornography along with depression and anxiety.

"I find that surprising — given the amount of money you must have invested in defending the charges brought against you," Judge Millsteed said.

"Be that as it may, it would seem that you have failed to inform [your psychologist] that your problem extended beyond legal adult pornography to child pornography.

"Until you do that your prospects for full rehabilitation must be compromised.

"It is impossible for me to make any informed assessment about your prospects of making any further relapse in offending of this type."

Bernard Finnigan remained in Parliament until the court found him guilty. ( ABC News )

Judge Millsteed said it was clear the offending had led to considerable personal and political repercussions for Finnigan.

"Since your arrest you have been subjected to considerable public and political vilification and intense media scrutiny," he said.

"I am told your former friends and political colleagues have severed their ties with you.

"As a member of parliament your conduct in accessing child pornography warranted public condemnation, but unfortunately some members of the public have stooped to engaging in discreditable and criminal behaviour to vent their anger.

"You have been subjected to abuse in public, death threats, your home has been damaged and your legal team has been threatened. As a result you have become a frightened and socially isolated man."

Judge Millsteed said the sentence needed to reflect deterrence.

"I accept that the offending you committed was towards the lower end of the scale of seriousness for crimes of this type, nevertheless your offending remains a serious breach of the law," he said.

"People who access child pornography encourage the vile degradation and sexual exploitation of children.

"The courts must do what they can to protect children from such reprehensible behaviour by imposing sentences that will serve to deter, as far as possible, people from accessing child pornography."

Finnigan was given a non-parole term of eight months, suspended in favour of a three-year $1,000 good behaviour bond.

He will be under the supervision of a community corrections officer for two years and will have to undergo any treatment as directed.

The MP, who had been sitting as an independent in the Legislative Council since just after charges were first laid, resigned from parliament after the court found him guilty last month.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said Finnigan's case had taken too long to resolve.

"I think the people of South Australia quite frankly are just very glad that this sorry situation has finally come to an end," he said.

"It's taken far too long and the Government needs to immediately conduct an investigation into why this has taken four-and-a-half years to come to a resolution."