Dennis Dawson Dowle, of St Leonards, who worked at Woodlands, a Sussex mental health unit, said in one of a string of messages to the woman : "Hi ya, it's me. I am down at the swimming pool. Bit bored. I wondered whether you fancied a s**g? Talk to you again."

The disciplinary hearing which had been told that the woman felt "angry and insulted" ruled that Dowle, who was dismissed from his job after the incident should be struck off.

Announcing the decision the tribunal chair, Angela O'Connor said: "He failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with the patient to a significant extent.

"It was not an isolated incident and a very serious departure from the standards to a vulnerable patient. He accepted she was upset and distressed."

She said he had "shown a lack of insight and shown a level of overfamiliarity which could never be part of the nurse/patient relationship."

She added that although Dowle claimed the message sent from the swimming pool was meant in a "jokey" way, the disciplinary panel considered his conduct was "fundamentally imcompatible" with being a registered nurse."

The hearing had earlier been told by Sarah Page, for the Council : "On 17 January 2006 Sue Brace, Modern Matron at Sussex Partnershop NHS Trust, was informed by a doctor that patient A's ex boyfriend had made a complaint about the registrant (Dowle).

"The registrant was at that time a charge nurse at the Woodlands Mental health unit where patient A (who cannot be identified) was a patient. It was claimed that the registrant had acted inappropriately.

"On 17 January 2006, Ms Brace interviewed patient A, who was a patient at Woodlands between 19 January, 2005 and 13 January, 2006. Patient A confirmed she had received a series of text and voicemail messages from Mr Dowle.

"As a result, she stated she was angry and insulted and also confirmed the day after her discharge that she met Mr Dowle at the Marina Fountain Public House because he wanted to sign discharge papers.

"Patient A confirmed that the registrant never touched her or sent any message that might imply sex except for one voicemail."

Mr Dowle, although not present at today's hearing, admitted the allegations of "inappropriate" contact by leaving six voicemail and/or text messages between 19 December, 2005, and 18 January, 2006.

Other messages said : "Hi, Dennis up at Woodlands, I have a couple of forms for you to sign, if you don't want to, it doesn't matter", "Hi, wish you the best of luck today, Den xx", and "Good morning have a really nice day. Hope to speak to you later xx"

Ms Page said Ms Brace interviewed Dowle on 18 January, 2006 and he denied any "impropriety". He said he had arranged to meet with patient A at a pub as she had discharged herself and he needed her to complete some forms.

"He said that he had not ever left a message that could be construed to be of a sexual nature. At a subsequent meeting on 31 January, 2006, Mr Dowle confirmed his mobile number which matched the number patient A provided.

Added Ms Page : "The Trust has been unable to locate patient A, for an investigation as she did not return to Woodlands.

"However, at the meeting on 17 January, 2006, Ms Brace listened to the voicemail messages through a loud speaker and read the text messages.

"Her notes of the meeting record what the messages said. A further witness John Robinson, the accommodation officer at the trust, confirmed that when he met patient A on 17 January, 2006, he also listened to voicemail messages and read the text messages.

"Mr Dowle was dismissed from the trust on 27 June, 2006. He appealed the decision but later withdrew his application."