A woman killed in Co Galway on Thursday was previously trapped in a violent relationship and had gone to An Garda Síochána and the courts in an attempt to extricate herself from it.Masuma Sohrabi, an Iranian national and mother of two, previously sought a court order placing restrictions on a man who was abusing her, The Irish Times understands. The 31-year-old was found dead on Thursday morning at Waterloo Bridge on the outskirts of Clifden. She had sustained extensive injuries to her neck. Originally from Tehran, it is understood she came to Ireland to escape the unrest and repressive regime in her home country. She arrived in a family group that included her two young children.Masuma Sohrabi (31) moved to Ireland from Iran in 2024. Photograph: RTE Sources said that while she encountered difficulties, and had been subjected to gender-based violence, Sohrabi was integrating into the community in Co Galway very well. She appeared fully committed to staying in Ireland and wished to make a new life for herself and her children here.Sohrabi and the man she sought protection from via the courts lived at Waterloo House, a property being used by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) in Clifden, at the same time. However, the man was ordered to leave when she secured a court order against him last year.Gardaí investigating her death are trying to establish if that man continued to have contact with Sohrabi, in breach of the court order, which had been in place for some time. Footage from CCTV cameras in Clifden was being collected in an attempt to piece together Sohrabi’s last movements around the town on Wednesday, her demeanour and whether or not she was accompanied by a man.[ Man arrested after leading gardaí to woman’s body in Co GalwayOpens in new window ]Gardaí are also speaking to other women living in the same IPAS centre, who Sohrabi had developed close bonds with, in an effort to find out more about her personal life and if she was under specific pressures of late.The dead woman’s telephone records will also be examined to see who she was in contact with, including in the hours leading up to her death, sources said.Detectives believe she left the IPAS centre on Wednesday, leaving her two children in the care of other women living there. However, when Sohrabi did not return by later that night, she was reported missing.On Thursday morning, a man the dead woman knew entered the IPAS centre wounded and covered in blood. Gardaí were called and that man then led members of the force a short distance to the spot by the Owenglin river where Sohrabi’s remains were found .The man, also a foreign national, was arrested but was taken to University Hospital Galway for treatment. He is understood to have had a wound to his neck, although no third party is suspected of having been involved in him sustaining the injury.Although his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, he remained in hospital early on Friday. While he is officially under arrest, and a Garda presence was being maintained at the hospital, gardaí must wait until he is deemed fit by doctors to be interviewed.A postmortem was due to be carried out on Friday on Sohrabi’s body, which was taken to the mortuary at Galway University Hospital late on Thursday. A pathologist carried out a preliminary examination at the scene where her body was found. The postmortem results will help to determine the course of the investigation.Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the Clifden area, particularly around the Galway Road, who may have noticed any suspicious activity, to come forward.In a statement, the Garda said investigators were following a definite line of inquiry and were not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing. They said the fatal attack did not happen in the IPAS centre.It is understood Sohrabi worked at a hotel in the area and her children attend a local primary school. Scoil Mhuire issued a statement on Thursday, describing the situation as “an incredibly sad and difficult time”.“We have become aware of the sudden and tragic passing of a member of our school family. Our hearts go out to her children, her family and all those who loved her.”The statement said psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service were available to support pupils and staff. The school planned to “reopen as normal on Tuesday” when staff “will be there to support every child upon their return”.