A teenager from the Land Down Under has appeared in court after allegedly vandalizing a large blue sculpture of a legendary being by applying googly eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, aged 19, appeared via phone at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on that day, facing with a single charge of damaging property.
In a statement at the time of the September incident, the local council explained that surveillance video showed a individual placing artificial eyes on the sculpture, which residents have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused did not enter a plea and informed the court she was unwell, according to news outlets, with the judge advising her to secure a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.
A day after the alleged incident, the city leader said that restoration to the popular community sculpture would be expensive as the stickers could not be removed without damaging the art piece.
“This wilful damage to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those members of our society who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”
The mayor added the council would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the damage.
When the artwork was initially suggested, it drew varied responses from the local community due to its cost and appearance.
Costing 136,000 Australian dollars ($89,000; £68,000), the artwork represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an prehistoric marsupial ant-eater found in local caves that was “massive, lumbering and fascinating”.
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