A teenager from Islington who stabbed an Olympic site worker through the heart for racially abusing him on a night bus has been told to expect a long custodial sentence.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was among other passengers who told Tomasz Baranowski, 23, and his friend, who were singing football chants, to be quiet in the early hours of May 29 on board the N98 service through Maida Vale.

But Mr Baranowski started teasing the teenager, who is now 17, about his colour by making ‘monkey noises’. A fight broke out and the teenager knifed Polish-born Mr Baranowski in front of horrified bus passengers before stealing his jacket, �40 and mobile phone.

Medics had to cut open Mr Baranowski’s chest and massage his heart for three minutes to resuscitate him after he effectively died at the scene, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones told Southwark Crown Court.

Mr Baranowski, a scaffolder working at the Stratford Olympic site at the time, is now blind and confined to a hospital bed, unable to move his arms or legs.

The teenager admitted possessing the weapon and theft but insisted that he had acted in self defence and denied attempted murder.

But the jury unanimously found him guilty and were later told he had previous convictions for knives and violence.

Judge Anthony Pitts remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing until next month, warning teenager to expect a long custodial sentence.

In a statement, Mr Baranowski’s mother Irena said she had been left “heartbroken” by the incident. She said: “I’ve been crying every day since the incident. I have panic attacks and nightmares every day.

“He was a handsome and tall man and when I see him now as he lies still in his bed I can’t bear it.”