A young policeman, still unable to go out in direct sunlight after having sulphuric acid thrown in his face six months ago, has spoken to the Croydon Guardian about his terrifying ordeal.

Amir Abdul-Latif, a 21-year-old convicted robber on the run, was approached by PC Richard Holliday, 27, from Croydon, and his colleague PC Redouane Haddouche, 39, for what should have been a routine arrest.

PC Holliday, who has since had to have plastic surgery on his forehead, spoke about what happened at Earlsfield station on Friday, April 21.

He said: "We do stops like that two or three times a night, it was completely normal and routine."

Unfortunately for them the incident proved to be anything but normal. There was no way the two officers, who spotted Abdul-Latif as they drove along Garratt Lane at 9.30pm, could have known what evil weapon the unemployed fugitive was clutching in his jacket pocket.

Recognising the criminal as a man wanted for violating his parole, PC Haddouche pulled over.

Abdul-Latif gave a false name and when the officers moved in for the arrest ran off across the road. But he only got half-way before turning to confront the chasing officers.

PC Holliday said: "He wanted to hurt us, I have no doubt about it now. He wanted to do anything to get away."

It was then, in the middle of the road and in front of countless witnesses, that the cold-blooded Abdul-Latif pulled an orange-coloured bottle from his jacket pocket and squirted its contents into the two officers' faces.

He then ran off towards Wandsworth as the police officers collapsed in agony. PC Holliday, who has walked the Wandsworth beat for four years, said: "At first I thought it was CS gas so I carried on for a few steps. But I soon realised it was much worse.

"It was unrelenting. Everything you can imagine acid doing to your skin, like the burning, you can really feel it happening. My skin was bubbling up. It was like nothing else I've ever felt."

Suffering severe burns to his face and arms, while also feeling the fabric from his trousers melting into his flesh, PC Holliday managed to operate his emergency radio - only to get through to his 27-year-old fiancee Louise Caddy, also a police officer.

"It was horrific for her," said PC Holliday. "Not only did she have to listen to what was happening, she could also see it on CCTV."

Fellow PCs Katy Shepherd and Charlotte Bradbeer were soon on the scene, where they quickly stripped their two colleagues naked in the street and tried to drench them with as much water as possible. Drinkers emptied from surrounding pubs, bringing with them everything they could to throw water over the two writhing officers.

Amazingly, PC Holliday remained on the up side of what must have been the worst night of his life. He said: "From the moment it happened there were so many positives. You always hear stories of how no one really cares, but within seconds there were people coming to my aid. I remember a bizarre array of different receptacles, jugs, pints, even a glass collecting tray."

Both officers were then rushed to hospital. PC Haddouche's burns proved to not be as serious as first feared, but PC Holliday required plastic surgery.

Days later Abdul-Latif, of Thursley Gardens, Putney, was arrested in a house in Hampshire and last week was jailed for seven years.

It was another two months before he could return to active duty, but he is still only allowed out at night, unable to go in the sun. His colleague returned to full duty a fortnight ago.

PC Holliday said: "For six months now I've never gone out in the sun without putting on factor 50 sun block every 20 minutes."

But while admitting the attack has severely dented his confidence, PC Holliday said it is the support of his family and fiancee that have got him through.

He said: "My professional confidence has probably regressed to when I started the job, it takes a lot of guts to go up to someone, but it's just a question of keeping going.

"But I think the emotional impact has been fairly limited because I have got my family and fiancee to fall back on."

Meanwhile, Abdul-Latif, who was dressed in a tatty green sweatshirt and jeans, looked emotionless as he was jailed at Kingston Crown Court last Thursday.