Birmingham City fan jailed for attack on Jack Grealish

Birmingham City fan Paul Mitchell jailed 14 for weeks for attacking Jack Grealish

Birmingham City's St. Andrews Stadium, where the incident occurred yesterday.

Birmingham City fan Paul Mitchell has been jailed for 14 weeks for attacking Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish on the St Andrews pitch.

According to Birmingham Live, Mitchell has also been banned from attending any UK football match for 10 years and has been ordered to pay Grealish £100 in compensation and a £150 victim surcharge.

Mitchell, of Cock Hill Lane, Rubery, Worcestershire, invaded the pitch from the Tilton Road End, past the stewards, and hit Grealish from behind 10 minutes into the Second City Derby.

Grealish was knocked to the floor, and helped by both his teammates and the rival Birmingham players. Mitchell, 27, was escorted off the pitch.

Villa captain Grealish was okay to carry on after receiving medical attention, and scored after 67 minutes to earn his side a 1-0 win.

Mitchell admitted assault and encroachment on the pitch at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, and was sentenced this afternoon.

According to Sky News, during the case, Vaughn Whistance, Mitchell’s lawyer, said his client wanted to apologise to Aston Villa and Grealish for his actions.

He added: “He cannot explain what came over him yesterday morning, his initial foolish intention was to just go onto the pitch and whip up the crowd.

“He has brought shame upon himself and his family… and the football club he has supported since he was a child.”

Birmingham City apologised to Grealish on Twitter after the match, and banned Mitchell from attending matches at St Andrews for life.

The club said there were “no excuses” for his actions, and promised to review their matchday operations in a statement made on their website.

In a statement, Grealish, who did not suffer any substantial injuries, said: “I cannot help but feel how lucky I was in this incident.

“It could have been so much worse had the supporter had some sort of weapon.”

After the attack, a fan also invaded the Emirates Stadium pitch as Arsenal faced Manchester United, to confront United defender Chris Smalling.

Both attacks are reasons for drastic action, according to current England Women manager and former United player Phil Neville.