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A teenager from Australia has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a large art piece of a mythical creature by affixing plastic eyes to it.

Amelia Vanderhorst, 19 years old, participated remotely 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 local council explained that surveillance video showed a person placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Blue Blob”.

Ms Vanderhorst made no plea and told the judge she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge recommending her to find a lawyer before her next court date in December.

The following day the reported event, the local mayor said that repairs to the popular public artwork would be expensive as the adhesive eyes could not be detached without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a valued community art is inappropriate and disrespectful,” Mayor Lynette Martin remarked in 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.”

She said the council would seek the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the damage.

At the time the sculpture was first proposed, it received varied responses from the local community due to its price tag and design.

Priced at 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture represents a legendary giant animal, with the sculpture’s designers inspired by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.