An Adelaide man has been jailed and his wife given home detention after they concocted death threats at work.

Simon Craig Peisley, 41, and Tabitha Lean, 39, were found guilty of more than 40 deception charges.

Lean was director of the Aboriginal Health Services division of SA Health and her husband also worked there.

The Adelaide District Court was told they faked racist death threats to themselves, their children and colleagues over a two-year period.

As a result of the threats, SA Health paid for the couple to live in apartments at North Adelaide, paid for extensive private hospital stays and psychological care, and sent them on interstate holidays.

The couple also got WorkCover payments and had been negotiating a compensation payout of $580,000, the court was told.

The bogus threats were made in handwritten letters and in packages with red-stained children's clothing which were posted to their schools.

Aboriginal Health Services co-workers in shock

Judge Barry Beazley said while financial gain seemed a possible motive, the offending was still largely unexplained, and described it as "bizarre" and "outrageous".

"Many of these offences are committed for financial gain, however this is not immediately apparent to me in your case — as I've noted, Ms Lean, you held a very high-profile job and were and still are regarded very highly by those who dealt with you at the time," Judge Beazley said.

He said the offending had "shattered" the reputation of the department and left many co-workers in shock.

"Some staff find it impossible to believe you could have committed the offences. They feel sadness for you and also for your children, despite the fact they endured suspicion and were subjected to accusations," he said.

Judge Beazley jailed Peisley for six-and-a-half years with a non-parole term of three years and Lean for a six years and eight months, also with three years' non-parole.

"I do not overlook that you have both lost almost everything — each of your careers and other assets you had," he said.

Judge Beazley said it was unusual for both parents to be facing jail and this would have a detrimental effect on their dependent children.

He said he also considered the impacts the couple's children suffered as a result of their parents' criminal actions.

He declined to suspend Peisley's sentence or allow home detention, but ordered Lean's sentence be served as home detention, with electronic monitoring.

The prosecution applied for a compensation order of $273,630 to SA Health, but Judge Beazley declined it as he said the couple was unlikely ever to be in a position to pay restitution.