A PROTECTIVE dad smashed glass into an innocent man’s face after mistakenly thinking his daughter was in his house.

Marc Rutherford was asleep at home when he received a call from a friend saying they had seen his 19-year-old daughter arguing with her boyfriend in Colchester town centre.

Worried about her wellbeing, Rutherford walked from his house in St John’s Road, Colchester, to the address where he believed her partner lived and begun banging on the door and shouting.

The occupant said he had never heard of Rutherford’s daughter and was alone in the house.

Rutherford, 39, continued to smash the door and eventually broke two panels which shattered and went into the face of the victim.

He was seen by paramedics but did not suffer any serious injuries.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard Rutherford was a former soldier who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.

He had drunk six cans of lager while watching England’s first World Cup game against Tunisia on June 18 and then taken his regular dosage of sleeping pills which are used to help prevent flashbacks.

Philip Pearson, prosecuting said: “The victim had no idea who the woman was and said he did not know any female of that name.

“He was completely unaware and shocked by what was happening and refused Mr Rutherford entry to the property.

“During the course of him punching the door he cut his own hand and there was quite a lot of blood.

“The victim was behind the door and was struck by a glass fragment.

“He suffered cut to his face and an injury to his right eye.”

Rutherford admitted criminal damage and assault when he appeared at court.

Gavin Burrell, mitigating said: “Friends had seen his daughter in town distressed and arguing with her boyfriend.

“He got out of bed, got dressed and went to the address he believed her boyfriend lived at.

“It was on the same street but he got the wrong number.

“He explained to me he was disorientated because he was supposed to be asleep having taken the tablets.

“in stressful situations his PTSD means he gets flashbacks and he said to me it was like he was on a mission he had to complete.”

Rutherford told probation officers he would now not take the tablets if he had been drinking alcohol.

He was handed a three month curfew meaning he must stay at his home address between 8pm and 7am.

He must pay £70 compensation to the landlord for the damage to the house, and £300 to the victim for the injury and distress caused.