Reference no: EM133269163

Assignment:

How can I approach this questions, and what NSW legislation/cases can I use?

Sam and Steph are the captain and vice-captain of the Illawarra Stingrays Under-15's team, which competes in the Football New South Wales Girls' Youth League One. On 1 September 2022, the Stingrays played against their arch-rivals, the Macarthur Rams Womens FC, in the Grand Final of the Championship Series at the Stingrays' home ground in Wollongong.

The Stingrays entered the contest as the overwhelming favourites, having gone through the entire season undefeated. Across the season, Sam and Steph combined for a league-record-breaking 50 goals. However, at half-time of their Grand Final encounter, the Stingrays found themselves two goals down. The team's coach, a fiery ex-professional named Tony, berated the players in their changing room. Tony's final words before storming out of the room were as follows:

"If you don't get back out there, psych each other up, and turn this game around, I'll ensure that none of you sets foot on a soccer field again".

Upon their return to the field, Sam and Steph approached one another and started to shout motivational words and phrases at their teammates before meeting in the penalty area.

"Let's f******g go!", Sam yelled into Steph's face. After a split-second pause, Steph slapped Sam hard across her face, causing a noticeable bruise. Steph had seen other footballers do precisely this when seeking to motivate one another before and during matches. However, Sam was not pleased, glaring at Steph before returning to the centre circle for the second half kick-off.

The Stingrays won the game, by three goals to two, with Sam scoring the "perfect" hat-trick of goals. Sam did not pass the ball to Steph at all during the entire 45 minutes.

In the evening, during the team's celebrations with their friends, families, and supporters in the clubhouse, Sam stepped outside and, having masked her caller ID, called Steph's phone multiple times. Each time she left no voice response, but instead allowed the recording system to capture the sounds of the evening's festivities. After listening to the messages on her return home, Steph was terrified and failed to attend school for a full week.

Consider both Sam's criminal liability in relation to her off-field conduct and Steph's criminal liability with respect to her on-field conduct.