Ambulance volunteer sexually assaulted by man she was trying to care for

A Welsh Ambulance Service volunteer was "grabbed" by a man who then sexually assaulted her as she tried to help him. Emily Hilton, 24, was left in fear and debating quitting her job after the attack in Cardiff as she attempted to assist the attacker.

Working as a community first responder Emily – who has waived her legal right lifelong anonymity to speak out – was the first to arrive at the scene in Newport Road, Cardiff, after numerous 999 calls were made reporting that a man had fallen from his wheelchair in March 2025.

Craig Burgess, 48, of Lakeside Ward, University Hospital of Wales, began verbally abusing the ambulance worker as she consulted with her control room saying he would "knock her lights out".

After offering to assess Burgess, who claimed to be in pain, Ms Hilton was grabbed by the man who then pulled her in "forehead-to-forehead" and tried to kiss her on the lips.

Remembering the assault the 24-year-old said: "The patient was clear that he didn’t want medical attention but he did want help getting home so I called our control room to agree next steps.

"After I spoke with our control and clinical teams he became verbally abusive and threatened to ‘knock my lights out’. I asked if he wanted me to leave but then he complained that he was in pain.

"I offered to assess him and that’s when he grabbed the top of my neck and pulled me in, forehead-to-forehead, and tried to kiss me on the lips.

"I was completely taken aback that he’d grabbed me in the first place but he also had a vape in his hand which for a split-second I thought was a knife.

"It all happened so quickly but I said: ‘Don’t do that’ and pulled away. The ambulance arrived shortly afterwards and once I told the crew what had happened, we called the police."

The attack knocked Emily's confidence and made her wonder if she wanted to continue volunteering for the Welsh Ambulance Service.

She said: "In my three years of volunteering no-one’s ever done anything like that to me before. It completely knocked my confidence.

"Yes you’ll get patients who are frustrated because they’ve been waiting a long time for help but this was the first time someone was physically violent towards me. It made me wonder if I actually wanted to continue volunteering.

"It was definitely hard coming to terms with what happened and the time off I had afterwards created time for that anxiety to build. Luckily I had fantastic support from colleagues and friends so I did come back but I’m definitely more mindful now about the risks."

Burgess was arrested and charged with sexual assault. In May 2025 he was found guilty and was sentenced to a community order at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday, January 9, which requires him to carry out rehabilitation activities.

He was also fined £60, ordered to pay £100 compensation, and must register as a sex offender for five years.

Emma Wood, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: "Any assault on an emergency worker is unacceptable but what makes Emily’s experience particularly shocking is that she was volunteering her time, unpaid, to support her community. She stepped forward to help others and instead was subjected to a traumatic and despicable act of violence.

"We will always seek prosecution for those who choose to harm our people. Please treat emergency workers with respect."