Soccer-Man jailed for pitch attack on Aston Villa's Grealish

A Birmingham City fan was jailed for 14 weeks on Monday for running onto the field of play and punching Aston Villa's Jack Grealish during a Championship (second tier) match at the weekend. Paul Mitchell, a 27-year-old former pub employee, had pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates' Court to charges of assault and encroachment.

"The sentence must act as a punishment and a deterrent to others in order to send a message to the public and fans and players like Mr Grealish who should be protected at all times," said magistrate Alison Fisher. Mitchell was also banned for 10 years from attending any soccer match in Britain and ordered to pay 100 pounds ($130.95)compensation to Grealish as part of costs amounting to 350 pounds.

The court heard that Mitchell's family had left Birmingham after receiving death threats. ($1 = 0.7637 pounds) (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)