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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 applying plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video showed a person placing fake eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

The accused made no plea and told the court she was unwell, according to media sources, with the judge advising her to secure a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.

The following day the alleged incident, the local mayor said that restoration to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without harming the sculpture.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in September. “It is not harmless fun, it is pricey - it is also disappointing to those people of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

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

At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.