🔗 Share this article

A young person from Australia has appeared in court after reportedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a legendary being by affixing plastic eyes to it.

The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in South Australia on that day, facing with one count of damaging property.

In a statement at the time of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a person putting fake eyes on the sculpture, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.

Ms Vanderhorst did not enter a plea and told the judge she was ill, according to media sources, with the magistrate recommending her to secure a legal representative before her upcoming hearing in December.

A day after the reported event, the local mayor stated that repairs to the much-loved public artwork would be costly as the adhesive eyes could not be removed without damaging the art piece.

“This intentional vandalism to a cherished public artwork is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor remarked in mid-September. “It is not harmless fun, it is costly - it is also disappointing to those people of our society who have welcomed the Blue Blob.”

The mayor added the council would pursue the “significant” restoration expenses from those accountable for the vandalism.

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

Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; £68,000), the sculpture represents a mythical megafauna, with the creators inspired by an ancient anteater-like marsupial found in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.