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A young person from Australia has faced legal proceedings after reportedly defacing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, participated via phone at the local court in South Australia on Tuesday, facing with one count of damaging property.

In a statement at the moment of the September incident, the local council explained that CCTV footage captured a person placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

The accused did not enter a plea and told the judge she was ill, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to secure a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in December.

The following day the alleged incident, the city leader stated that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the stickers could not be detached without harming the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those members of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”

The mayor said the council would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

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