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A young person from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly defacing a sizable art piece of a mythical creature by affixing plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, aged 19, appeared via phone at the local court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, facing with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage showed a person putting fake eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

The accused made no plea and told the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the magistrate advising her to secure a legal representative 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 stickers could not be detached without harming the sculpture.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished public artwork 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 people of our community who have embraced the Blue Blob.”

She added the council would pursue the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the damage.

When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the local community due to its price tag and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture depicts a legendary giant animal, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric anteater-like marsupial discovered in nearby caverns that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.