• Paul Mitchell also banned from football for 10 years • Grealish: ‘It could have been so much worse’ if fan had weapon

The Birmingham City fan who punched Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish during Sunday’s second city derby has been jailed for 14 weeks after pleading guilty to assault and illegally entering the field of play.

Paul Mitchell, 27, was also banned from football for 10 years and ordered to pay £100 compensation to Grealish for the pain, discomfort and shock of the assault as well as a £115 victim surcharge and £135 in costs. He has also been banned for life by Birmingham City.

Magistrate Alison Fisher told him: “This was an unprovoked assault on a footballer doing his job in front of 23,000 spectators and thousands watching on TV, including families.

Football urged to protect players after fan punches Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish Read more

“We note that you have taken responsibility for your actions. However, this type of behaviour is totally unacceptable.

“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.”

The Football Association warned that the attack, along with a second incident in which Manchester United defender Chris Smalling was shoved by a supporter during his side’s match at Arsenal on Sunday, showed that a “line had been crossed in terms of fan behaviour”.

“This is entirely unacceptable and we strongly condemn both incidents,” an FA spokesman added. “We will be working with the clubs, the leagues and the police to discuss what collectively needs to be done to protect players and officials on the pitch. In addition, we have written to both Birmingham City and Arsenal to seek their observations to examine the security measures they had in place.”

The sports minister Mims Davies, who last month met with senior football figures after a number of cases involving racist and anti-semitic chanting as well as fighting among rival fans, called the latest incidents a “disgrace”.

“Protecting players’ safety is of paramount importance and every possible step must be taken to ensure that they are not put at risk,” she added.

Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Assocation, suggested that stiff sanctions might needed to “put a lid” on the the game’s problems. “There’s a combination you can consider – fines, ground closures, playing games behind closed doors and points deductions,” he said. “Every case needs to be looked at on its merits but it has to be a job for the national association.”

Quick guide Timeline: a season of supporter shame Show Hide Aston Villa v Preston, 2 Oct 2018 A Villa employee was hit by a cabbage thrown at the then-manager Steve Bruce by his own side’s fans during a 3-3 draw. Arsenal v Tottenham, 2 Dec 2018 A Tottenham fan threw a banana skin at Arsenal’s Patrick Aubemayang after the striker’s goal in the north London derby at the Emirates. The fan was fined and handed a four-year banning order by magistrates. Chelsea v Man City, 8 Dec 2018 A Chelsea fan was interviewed by police under caution after allegedly hurling racist abuse at City’s Raheem’s Sterling. Hibernian v Celtic, 2 Mar 2019 A glass bottle was thrown from the Hibernian support as the Celtic winger Scott Sinclair prepared to take a corner during a cup match. Sheff Wed v Sheff Utd, 4 Mar 2019 The visiting side’s Jack O’Connell had a coin and a plastic bottle thrown at him as he prepared to take a throw-in. Hibernian v Rangers, 8 Mar 2019

Rangers’ James Tavernier was confronted by a man who emerged from the same stand as the bottle was thrown against Celtic. Hibs’ chief executive Leeann Dempster refused to rule out closing parts of Easter Road. Birmingham City v Aston Villa, 10 March 2019 Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish was assaulted by a fan early in the Birmingham derby. The supporter was arrested and Grealish went on to score the winner in Villa's 1-0 win. Arsenal v Manchester United, 10 Mar 2019 Manchester United's Chris Smalling was approached and shoved by a man shortly after Arsenal scored their second in a 2-0 win. The individual was arrested and Arsenal stated he would be banned from attending any home or away match involving the club. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Rex Features

Mitchell told Birmingham magistrates court that he had ran on to the pitch as “a joke” and insisted that he felt deep remorse after hitting Grealish during the 10th minute of the match. Mitchell’s lawyer Vaughn Whistance said that his family had been forced to move out of the Birmingham area because they feared that they would suffer “serious harm or even death” after online threats.

Emery calls for calm at Arsenal and 'respect' after fan shoves Smalling Read more

Prosecutor Jonathan Purser told the court that while Grealish had felt lasting pain after the incident he feared that the consequences could have been even more serious. In a statement the Aston Villa captain 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.”

Birmingham City said it welcomed the 14-week sentence handed down for Mitchell and said that it had banned him and another supporter for life for a “series of vile and malicious tweets on social media, relating to Jack Grealish and his family”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jack Grealish would go on to score the winner for Aston Villa in a 1-0 win over Birmingham City. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images via Reuters

There was also violence outside the ground before Sunday’s game in Birmingham with West Midlands Ambulance Service confirming that paramedics were told keep away from an area around the St Andrews ground for their their own safety amid reports of violence and missiles being thrown between rival fans.

The Metropolitan police said Gary Cooper, 30, had been charged with common assault and going on to the playing area during’s Arsenal match against Manchester United. He was released on bail to appear at Highbury Corner magistrates court on 26 March.