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A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a sizable art piece of a mythical creature by applying plastic eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, aged 19, appeared remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of damaging property.

In a statement at the time of the recent event, the municipal authorities explained that surveillance video showed a person putting artificial eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

The accused did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in the final month of the year.

The following day the reported event, the local mayor stated that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes were impossible to be removed without damaging the art piece.

“This wilful damage to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”

She added the local government would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those responsible for the damage.

When the artwork was first proposed, it received varied responses from the local community due to its cost and design.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.