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A young person from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a large art piece of a legendary being by affixing googly eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at the local court in South Australia on that day, charged with a single charge of damaging property.

Officials commented at the time of the September incident, the municipal authorities said that CCTV footage showed a individual placing fake eyes on the sculpture, which residents have dubbed the “Cast in Blue”.

The accused 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 upcoming hearing in the final month of the year.

A day after the alleged incident, the city leader stated that restoration to the popular public artwork would be costly 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 frustrating to those people of our community who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

She said the local government would seek the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.

At the time the artwork was first proposed, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its cost and appearance.

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the artwork represents a legendary giant animal, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial discovered in local caves that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.