An Australian woman, in a state of extreme intoxication, found herself in legal trouble after an ill-advised prank involving a local sculpture. Amelia Vanderhorst, under the influence of both vodka and MDMA, was convicted for defacing an artwork known as the “Blue Blob” in Mount Gambier. This incident occurred late last year and resulted in her facing criminal charges.
The 20-year-old was caught after she shared a video on social media, capturing the moment she used superglue to attach googly eyes to the $95,000 statue. The viral video quickly drew the attention of local authorities, leading to a public outcry and subsequent legal action.
During her court appearance on Tuesday, Vanderhorst’s attorney, Michael Hill, attributed her reckless actions to the excessive consumption of vodka and drugs earlier that evening, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Hill argued that her impaired judgment was a direct result of her intoxicated state.
In her defense, Vanderhorst expressed that her intention was merely to inject humor into the sculpture, inspired by similar antics that have gained popularity on social media. However, this rationale did little to mitigate the consequences of her actions, as the court proceeded with the conviction for vandalizing the public artwork.
The drunken clip quickly went viral — sparking complaints from the local government.
At her sentencing hearing, Vanderhorst’s lawyer said she had only wanted to make the sculpture look funny after seeing similar viral stunts.
Vanderhorst was remorseful, however, and has since acknowledged it was “one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done,” Hill added.
The Mount Gambier City Council coughed up nearly $3,000 to repair the statue, according to cops.
Under her plea deal, Vanderhorst was ordered to pay a $1,300 ($2,000 AUD) fine and complete 60 hours of community service.
