Robert Jenrick has been forced to defend his decision as immigration minister to cover up cartoon murals at a processing centre for lone child migrants.

The Tory leadership hopeful was reported to have felt the images, which included Mickey Mouse, were too “welcoming” when he served as immigration minister and ordered them removed from the facility.

Asked if the reports were true by an audience member at a Conservative Party conference fringe event, Mr Jenrick instead sought to justify his tough stance on migration, and claimed leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) would ultimately “save lives”.

Responding to a question at a Centre for Policy Studies fringe event, he said: “The vast majority of the individuals who pass through the centre that you are referring to were 16, 17 year olds or in fact, and this is a difficult but true thing to say, young adults who were posing as children.

“I have a particular concern about that because that is an enormous risk to families, to our whole system of foster carers, all the loving and kind people who go on to look after particularly unaccompanied children.

“So we did think it would be important that we change the way in which those centres operate so there is a degree of law enforcement.”

Mr Jenrick emphasised it was his “overwhelming priority” as immigration minister to treat migrants coming to the UK with care and compassion, and said he did a lot of work to move children out of unsuitable accommodation when he started in the role.

The Newark MP added: “One of my concerns about illegal migration generally is a moral one.

“I think it is absolutely abhorrent that you have people, particularly children, being put into the hands of people smugglers and human traffickers.

“That is why we have got to stop this once and for all.

“So the most compassionate thing we can do as a country is to break this business model and end this situation forever.

“The only way we will do that is by the approach that I have set out which is to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, ensure that if people come here they are swiftly removed.

“No one will come here once that happens. It will save lives.

“Children, young adults, will not be out in that situation ever again.”

The Conservative leadership candidate told the audience at the fringe event the current contest to succeed Rishi Sunak was a battle to “leave or remain” within the ECHR.

The treaty underpins UK human rights law, and has been used in legal defences against deportation attempts.

Mr Jenrick has argued that it cannot be reformed, and the only way the UK can succeed in tackling small boats crossings effectively is by leaving the agreement.