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

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of property damage.

In a statement at the time of the September incident, the local council said that surveillance video showed a person placing artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

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

The following day the reported event, the city leader stated that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our society who have embraced the Blue Blob.”

The mayor said the council would pursue the “substantial” repair costs from those accountable for the vandalism.

At the time the artwork was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the local community due to its cost and design.

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.