The ACT Magistrates Court heard owners and sister Thah Thuy Nguyen, 40, and Thi Kim Hoang Nhan, 62, had since spent $20,000 to repair problems at the Kinh Do restaurant.

The court heard there was accumulated dirt and food waste in the kitchen and dirty pots kept in plastic tubs when authorities visited in January last year.

Some areas on the ceiling were sealed with tape and there were cracks so large they allowed for the entry of a cat “whose tail was persistently photographed” by inspectors.

Benchtops were dirty and the floors and walls had accumulations of grease and food waste.

Health authorities shut down the restaurant and it was closed for two months while repairs were carried out.

The women pleaded guilty to charges of failing to comply with food standards.

Their lawyer said they had never experienced problems with health inspections before and had not been notified of any issues before they were shut down.

The court heard Nguyen and Nhan were migrants from Vietnam who had run the restaurant for 10 years and were highly regarded by customers.

References from three customers were handed up in support of the restaurant and the two women.

Magistrate David Mossop accepted there was no particular allegation that pests “other than the cat” were present in the restaurant but said the state of the kitchen gave rise to a health risk.

He fined the two women a total of more than $4800 plus court costs.