IRD staffer guilty of suffocating his ex now under investigation by accounting body

New Zealand’s accounting body has launched a probe after an IRD investigator was found guilty of serious family violence.

An Auckland District Court jury found Grant O’Callaghan guilty last month of eight assault charges for acts including suffocating his former partner, punching her in the face and tackling her.

The 59-year-old accountant was acquitted of four assault charges.

O’Callaghan is due to be sentenced in January next year. He could face up to seven years’ imprisonment.

A New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants spokesperson said they were aware of the matter and had opened an investigation.

“[It] will continue at the conclusion of the District Court proceedings.”

The Herald has been unable to confirm whether O’Callaghan is still employed by IRD as the agency refused to comment.

Last year a senior IRD leader who had recently left her role said she learned O’Callaghan had been arrested for family violence but was still working in the office.

She contacted IRD in 2025 in her capacity as an ex-leader who was concerned about the staff.

“There’s no way that man should have been allowed in the office around women.”

IRD declined to comment. 

She told the Herald she sent IRD a list of charges he was facing.

“I told them that he’d been charged with physical abuse.”

The woman said she informed IRD what the maximum penalty was.

“I laid it all out in an email and I sent it off to a boss in IRD and [to HR].”

She felt disgusted employees had to be in the office with O’Callaghan, knowing he was standing trial on serious charges.

“I know he hadn’t been found guilty [at that time], but you could make him work from home.

“Inland Revenue should be ashamed.”

Grant O’Callaghan is awaiting his sentencing.

The Government agency declined to comment on the allegations, or confirm whether O’Callaghan had been onsite while awaiting trial, noting it was an employment matter.

Through his lawyer, O’Callaghan initially declined to comment on whether he continued working at the IRD while awaiting trial and has not responded to further requests for comment.

Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said employers had a duty to ensure workplaces were safe and natural justice was followed in employment matters.

Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary. 

“These are duties that we expect public service employers to take seriously.

“We will not make any further comment on a specific case at this time.”

Mira Taitz, a senior trainer with DVFREE lead and specialist domestic violence service, said the agency generally recommended employers put in place a sound family violence policy.

“And also have trained support people who we call first responders, have training for managers and lots of general awareness comms... [So that] everyone in the workplace knows the pathways of support available.”

Speaking generally, Taitz said when an employee could be a perpetrator, organisations should always consider the impact of their actions on the potential victim.

“The other thing is an employer can consider looking at a disciplinary action or a pathway for accountability where it comes to the issue of work-related domestic or family violence.”

Using a work car to stalk a partner, or using work time to send abusive messages were examples of this.

Taitz said some roles were incompatible with people who had committed family violence.

“For example, if they’re in a leadership position, or if they’re working in the community with people who might be socially marginalised.”

She also encouraged employers to send out messages supporting people to change their behaviour and allowing flexibility to take stop violence courses.

Family violence is a widespread issue in New Zealand, she said.

“One in three women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner.”

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues such as sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.