Leroy Lita scored seven goals in 16 appearances for the Canaries in a three-month loan spell from Reading at the end of 2008, but has been unable to hold down a regular starting place at Swansea City.

Swansea City have refused to comment on whether or not their former Norwich striker Leroy Lita will be punished after spending a night in the cells last weekend.

Lita, who had a successful loan spell at Carrow Road under Glenn Roeder, was arrested by police in London on Sunday night.

The Congo-born Lita spent the night in a cell and was issued with a fixed penalty notice and released the following morning, according to reports in south Wales. It is believed Lita was alleged to have spat at a taxi.

Metropolitan Police said officers were called to a disturbance in Mayfair, and that a 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.

The incident happened the day after Swansea beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at The Hawthorns when Lita was an unused substitute.

A spokesman for Swansea City declined to comment on the incident or what action, if any, the club might take.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said police were contacted at approximately 10.20pm on Sunday, February 5, after reports of a disturbance on a street in Mayfair.

“Officers attended and one man, aged 27, was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in a public place,” he said.

The spokesman added: “He was taken to a central London police station and on the morning of February 6 he was issued with a fixed penalty notice.”

In 2010, while at Middlesbrough, Lita was arrested and fined £80 for a drunk and disorderly offence.

Lita scored seven goals in 16 appearances for the Canaries in a three-month loan spell from Reading at the end of 2008, but has been unable to hold down a regular starting place at Swansea since moving to south Wales for £1.75m from Championship side Middlesbrough last summer.

He came on as a substitute in Swansea’s 3-1 defeat at Carrow Road in October and may have to settle for a place on the bench when the teams meet at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.