The woman charged with using offensive language during an under-12s girls’ netball match against a Jewish team has been identified after footage of her confrontation with a community leader went viral on social media.
Jody Scarcella, a married mother of two from Chifley, in Sydney’s south-east, has bunkered down inside her modern townhouse since the alleged incident at Heffron Park, Maroubra, on Saturday morning.
Despite Monday marking her 43rd birthday, there was no sign of celebration at the split-level home, where she was occasionally seen peering through the curtains during a Daily Mail stakeout.
There was no answer at the door, incoming phone calls were disabled, and nobody emerged to take Scarcella’s school-aged children to school on Monday.
The Daily Mail understands that Scarcella – believed to be a former childcare worker – was too frightened to emerge due to the media presence outside her home, with several news crews pulling up after the Mail arrived shortly before 7am.
Scarcella and her husband, Brent, have also deactivated their social media accounts since Sunday, including their business-related profiles.
She has retained prominent criminal defence lawyer Paul McGirr, a former NSW Police officer and prosecutor.
When asked on Monday afternoon about representing Scarcella, McGirr told the Daily Mail the accusations would be staunchly defended.

The high-powered lawyer defending netball mum

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Jody Scarcella, a married mother of two from Chifley, in Sydney’s south-east, has been identified as the woman charged with using offensive language at a children’s netball game

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News reporters gathered outside Scarcella’s townhouse in Chifley, in Sydney’s south-east

‘At this particular stage, all I can say is the accusations are denied – and certainly things appear to have been taken out of context,’ he said.
‘She’s a person of good character, never been in trouble before – and the matter will be contested.’
NSW Police on Sunday charged Scarcella with using offensive language in or near a public place following her alleged outburst at the junior netball match the previous day.
Police had been called to Heffron Park shortly after 10am on Saturday following reports a woman had allegedly made offensive comments during a game between Maccabi Netball Club – a club for Jewish girls aged seven and older – and Saints Netball Club.
Documents reveal Scarcella previously operated a home daycare business from her Chifley property, as well as a nanny placement service called Nanny Annie’s.
She is also understood to be a member of South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club and had previously posted frequently in NSW childcare Facebook groups.
Officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command confirmed they had spoken to a 42-year-old woman at the scene and issued her with a move-on direction before charging her the following day.
‘She will face Waverley Local Court on June 17,’ police said in a statement.

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The former childcare worker, who is married with two school-aged children, has retained prominent criminal defence lawyer Paul McGirr, a former NSW Police officer and prosecutor

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Mr Ryvchin confronted Scarcella following the alleged incident in a now-viral video

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Scarcella has been banned from attending future matches

NSW Netball has also banned her from attending any courts or games pending further investigations
A photograph obtained by the Daily Mail showed Scarcella speaking with a female police officer while other officers and onlookers watched nearby.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin attended the courts shortly after the alleged incident and filmed himself confronting the woman.
Footage of the confrontation has been viewed thousands of times online.
In a statement, Saints Netball Club said the alleged comments did not reflect the organisation’s values.
Randwick Netball Association has launched an investigation alongside Netball NSW.