Sajid Javid has admitted he could have ended up in a life of crime instead of becoming home secretary.

In a speech on tackling serious violence, Mr Javid described his own experiences growing up in Bristol on what was once labelled “the most dangerous street in Britain”, where he said he avoided being drawn into shoplifting and drug dealing.

The home secretary also defended the use of stop and search and reiterated his support for a “public health” approach to violent crime, which he said should be treated like “the outbreak of some virulent disease”.

Read more: Our political correspondent, Chris Mason on the the contest to be the next Tory leader.