A TOP government minister bombarded a pretty civil servant with personal text messages, driving her out of her job.

The News of the World can reveal Health Minister Ivan Lewis PURSUED 25-year-old Susie Mason after misinterpreting her friendly banter.

He is understood to have sent a string of texts and, as the messages became more intimate, Susie was forced to make a tearful complaint to her bosses.

She asked to be moved to another job and was transferred to a new post within the Department.

Susie confirmed: "He wasn't the nicest man to work for."

And last night the Department of Health issued a statement saying the minister "apologises unreservedly" for his behaviour.

The incident happened in 2007, a year after Lewis, 41, walked out on his wife Juliette for a councillor, 50- year-old Margaret Gibb.

The father-of-two's behaviour after 16 years of marriage worried Susie, described by colleagues as "a real high flier". She worked in Lewis's private office as an assistant private secretary and the pair are understood to have hit it off at a drinks party.

Request

The minister began sending friendly messages and jokes, but later his texts commented on her looks and clothes and he started asking her on dates.

However, none of his messages was sexually explicit. Senior Whitehall sources told us: "Susie is a bright, vivacious young girl. She was a very happy, girlie person and the view was that he (Mr Lewis) misinterpreted this, pursuing her with a series of increasingly intimate texts.

"She then registered her concern on this and left his office."

However, the incident was swept under the carpet by Department of Health civil servants. Patricia Hewitt, the then Health Secretary, was not told. Susie has now quit to work in the City.

The ministry's spokeswoman last night confirmed the girl told managers she was unhappy with her working relationship with the minister. The spokeswoman added: "In 2007 a member of staff in the private office of Ivan Lewis informed her managers that she was unhappy with the nature of her working relationship with the Minister.

"The situation was handled professionally and sensitively in full accordance with the employee's wishes. She raised no formal complaint against the Minister and as indicated all the actions to resolve the matter were agreed with her.

"It was in that context that the decision was taken at the time not to pursue the matter further.

"At her request she left the Minister's officer and was given another job in the Department. She was a hard-working, extremely competent employee and we were sad to see her subsequently leave the Department of Health.

"The Minister in question apologises unreservedly."