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A young person from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on that day, facing with one count of damaging property.

In a statement at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a individual putting artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

The accused made no plea and told the court she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to secure a legal representative before her next court date in December.

The following day the reported event, the local mayor stated that restoration to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the stickers were impossible to be detached without damaging the sculpture.

“This wilful damage to a cherished public artwork 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 people of our society who have embraced the Blue Blob.”

The mayor said the local government would seek the “significant” repair costs from those accountable for the damage.

At the time the sculpture was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the area residents due to its price tag and design.

Priced at A$136,000 (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers influenced by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.