A father is facing what could be three years behind bars after he fired a gun at a group of teenagers who threw eggs at his home. Steven Miceli told prosecutors his daughter had been the victim of "constant bullying" at her school and when two teenagers lobbed eggs at his home on May 25 last year Miceli snapped.

The incident happened in San Mateo, a small town close to San Francisco, California, when Miceli saw the teens fleeing in an SUV and fired a handgun at their vehicle, hitting the passenger side and window. The shots were fired two days after a group of three youngsters had poured oil on Miceli's porch, according to police incident notes.

Local media reports Miceli told officers responding to the shooting that he was angry about cleaning the oil off his porch and his daughter being picked on at school.

SFGATE news reports Miceli pleaded no contest to felony assault with a firearm and possession of an AR-15 that was later found at his home after the shooting. San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe told SFGATE the father is now facing up to three years in prison.

Mr Wagstaffe said: "He does not have a significant record, but he is facing a potential jail sentence, you can’t overreact to situations with gunfire."

The three teenagers involved have not been charged, but Mr Wagstaffe said "pranks" can lead to "bad situations".

Miceli had told responding police that he had meant to shoot tyres out from the SUV the teens were driving. He later admitting tossing the handgun into a nearby lake. When detectives searched his home they discovered an illegal AR-15 automatic rifle.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Shin-Mee Chang told SFGATE the teenagers said they had target the house because it was where a female classmate "they did not like lived".

She said: "This was such a highly dangerous situation. We’re relieved no one got hurt.”

Miceli is subject to a $25,000 cash bond and is expected to be sentenced on August 10.