🔗 Share this article

A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a large art piece of a mythical creature by applying plastic eyes to it.

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

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a individual putting fake eyes on the artwork, which residents have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

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

A day after the reported event, the city leader said that restoration to the much-loved community sculpture would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the art piece.

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

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

At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the area residents due to its price tag and design.

Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.