Derek Boateng was stabbed more than once and died after receiving a fatal knife wound to the heart, it emerged today.

The 15-year-old accused of his murder aboard the 393 bus on the victim’s 16th birthday appeared at Highbury Corner Youth Court this morning.

The youth, from Havering, appeared only to confirm his name, age and address and that he understood the charge and stood in the dock with no family members present. He did not enter a plea.

The court heard Derek, who was due to celebrate his birthday on Tuesday just hours after being knifed next to Highbury Grove School at about 3pm, received a stab wound to the heart and died the following night after being declared brain dead.

David Davis, prosecuting, said: “It took place on a bus. The victim who was a 16-year-old boy appeared to know [the defendant].

“He [Derek] was on life support for a couple of days and it was considered that he was brain dead.”

District Judge Allison Gill said due to the “extreme nature and gravity” of the alleged offence, including the use of a knife, there was “no alternative” but to remand the 15-year-old in youth detention accommodation.

Speaking from the family home in Hackney yesterday, Derek’s sister Gifty, 29, revealed how family and friends gathered round Derek’s hospital bed for more than 24 hours “praying for a miracle” while he was wired up to a life support machine.

She also paid tribute to a “a lovely brother” who was “friendly with everyone”.

Calling for justice she added: “I mean whoever has done it, I don’t know whether they have the person, but whoever has done it, they need to be punished.

“We can’t believe what is happening, everyone is in shock. We are expecting him to walk back through that door.

“He was just a child and so quiet. He was just a normal 16-year-old.

“The last time we’d talked to him, he was saying that he was going to go out with his friends and was just excited about his birthday.

“He was a lovely brother and very friendly with everyone.”

He was airlifted to hospital on Tuesday from the school after incident on Highbury New Park.

Derek attended Regent’s Vocational College, Hackney, but was a former pupil at Highbury Grove. Police are appealing for witnesses of the attack shortly after 3pm on Tuesday.

Onlookers spoke of their horror as they watched paramedics attempt to give the teenager life-saving treatment for several minutes on the single deck bus, which performed an emergency stop near the school where the air ambulance landed.

Witnesses can call police on 020 8345 3734 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.