A young person from the Land Down Under has faced legal proceedings after reportedly vandalizing a sizable blue sculpture of a mythical creature by applying plastic eyes to it.
The 19-year-old, 19 years old, participated remotely at Mount Gambier Magistrates Court in the state of South Australia on Tuesday, charged with one count of property damage.
Officials commented at the moment of the recent event, the local council explained that surveillance video captured a person placing artificial eyes on the artwork, which locals have nicknamed the “Cast in Blue”.
The accused made no plea and informed the court she was unwell, as reported by news outlets, with the judge recommending her to secure a lawyer before her next court date in the final month of the year.
The following day the reported event, the city leader said that repairs to the much-loved community sculpture would be costly as the stickers could not be removed without harming the sculpture.
“This intentional vandalism to a cherished community art is unacceptable and disrespectful,” City of Mount Gambier mayor said in September. “It is not innocent amusement, it is costly - it is also frustrating to those people of our community who have welcomed Cast in Blue.”
She added the local government would pursue the “substantial” restoration expenses from those responsible for the damage.
When the sculpture was initially suggested, it received mixed reactions from the local community due to its cost and design.
Costing A$136,000 ($89,000; sixty-eight thousand pounds), the sculpture depicts a mythical megafauna, with the creators influenced by an ancient marsupial ant-eater discovered in nearby caverns that was “huge, slow-moving, and intriguing”.
