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A young person from Australia has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by applying plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, aged 19, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of damaging property.

In a statement at the moment of the recent event, the local council said that CCTV footage showed a individual placing fake eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

The accused made no plea and told the judge she was ill, as reported by news outlets, with the magistrate recommending her to find a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.

A day after the reported event, the city leader said that repairs to the popular public artwork would be expensive as the stickers could not be detached without harming the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those members of our society who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”

She added the council would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the vandalism.

At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a mythical megafauna, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.