A man accused of ‘hitting and scratching’ his daughter has been jailed for almost six months for failing to give police the correct passcode to his iPhone.

Christopher Wheeler, 41, insisted that the code he gave to officers was correct but the iPhone did not unlock.

When the judge presiding over his case demanded he give them the correct four-digit code, Wheeler said: ‘I swear, under oath, I’ve given [the detectives] the password.’

Police believe the iPhone holds potential evidence of the injuries Wheeler is accused of inflicting on his daughter.

Though they obtained a search warrant for the phone, the alleged photos could not be reached due to the security code.

Wheeler, who was arrested in March, was subsequently jailed for 180 days after being held in contempt of court.

He will reportedly be released if he provides police with the correct passcode.

In Florida, police have the power to demand passwords from suspects in criminal cases due to an appeals court decision.

Yet the state’s Supreme Court has yet to rule on the issue so it may not be permanent.

Source: metro