# Boyfriend sues police over arrest in 20-year-old murder

> Tobias Moran is taking NSW Police to court for malicious prosecution over his 2022 arrest in the unsolved death of his girlfriend Simone Strobel.
- Title: Boyfriend sues police over arrest in 20-year-old murder · Abc
- Summary: Tobias Moran is taking NSW Police to court for malicious prosecution over his 2022 arrest in the unsolved death of his girlfriend Simone Strobel. Tobias…
- Keywords: tobias moran, simone strobel, nsw police, malicious prosecution, lismore, unsolved murder, civil proceedings, news, politics, Boyfriend, sues, police
- Source: Abc — https://abc.net.au/news/2026-10-12/tobias-moran-sues-nsw-police-over-arrest/107256230
- Published: 2026-10-12T05:45:21+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: tobias moran, simone strobel, nsw police, malicious prosecution, lismore, unsolved murder, civil proceedings, news, politics
## German backpacker killed 20 years ago
Simone Strobel, a twenty five year old German backpacker, was found dead near a caravan park in Lismore, New South Wales in February two thousand five. Her killer has never been brought to justice.
## Boyfriend arrested 17 years later
Tobias Moran, Strobel's boyfriend, was charged in two thousand twenty two over her death. He spent ten days in custody and ten months on bail conditions before charges were withdrawn.
## Court orders police to pay legal costs
After charges were withdrawn, the court ordered the state of New South Wales to pay Moran's legal costs of one hundred ninety thousand dollars.
## Moran files civil lawsuit
Moran has now filed civil proceedings in the NSW District Court against NSW Police for malicious prosecution, alleging they targeted him rather than searching for the truth.

> This is an important step towards clearing my name and holding the relevant NSW police officers to account for what I believe was a prosecution driven by improper motives rather than a pursuit of the truth.
## Coroner finds Moran unlikely acted alone
In late two thousand twenty five, State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan found it unlikely Moran could have killed Strobel without help, though she did not rule him out as a suspect.

> It is unlikely that Mr Moran could have acted alone in killing Simone and disposing of her body.
## Moran accuses police of tunnel vision
Speaking to the ABC for the Unravel: Lies in Lismore podcast, Moran said police developed tunnel vision about him at the expense of finding Strobel's killer.

> Crucial evidence has not been considered. They've been on the wrong track for 20 f***ing years.
## Lawyer says no convincing evidence
Stewart O'Connell SC, representing Moran, said there has never been any convincing evidence of his involvement and that he has endured shock, pain and devastation from the arrest.

> There has never been any convincing evidence of his involvement.
## Civil case set for January hearing
The civil case has been listed in the NSW District Court for January twenty seventh, twenty twenty seven. NSW Police declined to comment on the action.
## Key takeaway

Tobias Moran is suing NSW Police for malicious prosecution after being arrested and charged in 2022 over the 2005 death of his girlfriend Simone Strobel, with charges withdrawn a year later.