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A young person from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly defacing a large art piece of a mythical creature by affixing plastic eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on that day, facing with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the local council explained that CCTV footage showed a person putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

The accused made no plea and informed the judge she was ill, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.

A day after the alleged incident, the city leader said that repairs to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a valued public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those members of our society who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

The mayor added the local government would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.

At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.