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A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after allegedly defacing a large blue sculpture of a mythical creature by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, appeared via phone at the local court in South Australia on that day, charged with one count of property damage.

Officials commented at the moment of the September incident, the municipal authorities explained that CCTV footage showed a individual placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which residents have dubbed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and informed the court she was ill, as reported by media sources, with the judge recommending her to secure a lawyer before her upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.

The following day the alleged incident, the city leader said that restoration to the much-loved public artwork would be costly 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,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in mid-September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those members of our community who have embraced Cast in Blue.”

She added the council would pursue the “significant” repair costs from those responsible for the vandalism.

When the artwork was first proposed, it received varied responses from the area residents due to its cost and appearance.

Costing 136,000 Australian dollars (eighty-nine thousand US dollars; £68,000), the artwork represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.