CAMPAIGNERS have called for the death of a Canvey mum, killed by her partner, to trigger a change in domestic violence law.

Kelly Pearce, 36, was stabbed in the face and neck 40 times by Anthony Ayres in November last year and died after suffered skull and brain damage in the assault.

Anthony Ayres was convicted by a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court in July for the murder of his partner, and given a full life sentence.

Ayres was already a convicted killer after strangling his girlfriend in 1993.

Rebecca Harris, Tory MP for Castle Point, used Kelly’s case as she pleaded for change in the Commons over domestic violence laws at the second reading of a Private Member’s Bill.

MPs were debating whether to ratify the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty on domestic and sexual violence, aiming to improve protection for victims.

It would increase the availability of support services for people who experience domestic and sexual abuse.

Mrs Harris urged for lessons to be learned following the islander’s death, as she spoke out in the Commons on Friday.

She said: “Every week, two women are murdered by their partner or ex-partner, one of whom last year was sadly my constituent, Kelly Pearce.

“Whenever I am asked by a journalist or a member of the public whether I fear for my own safety after the horrendous murder of Jo Cox, I always reply that statistically I am still more at risk, as a woman, from a partner or an ex-partner.

“That is a fact that we cannot stress enough.”

Mrs Harris added that domestic abuse puts a burden on the economy.

She said: “Domestic abuse puts an enormous strain on our police, our social services, and our health system, as well hurting our economy.

“If we look purely at the economic and social effects of this crime, we see that there is an argument for the Government to be doing much more to tackle it and its wider social costs.”

Mrs Harris revealed that she has worked with Operation Juno, which is part of Essex Police’s domestic violence unit.

The force says it handles more than 90 domestic abuse calls every day.

Eilidh Whitehouse, Scottish National Party MP, first brought the issue as a Private Member’s Bill and was initially approved by the government in 2012.

Despite agreeing to sign it, it has failed to do so. Friday’s vote is forcing the government to deliver on its promise.

For it to become law, it must also successfully negotiate report stage and a third reading, as well as a vote in the House of Lords.