Senior law officers urged to intervene over potential wrongful acquittals when Crown Prosecution Service offers no evidence

• Dame Vera Baird: An empty apology from the CPS? That’s no justice for rape victims

A “draconian” practice that stops crime victims challenging last-­minute decisions to drop their cases is leading to miscarriages of justice and must urgently be reformed, campaigners say.

Under the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) scheme, victims can challenge decisions not to charge a suspect or to halt a prosecution. Successful appeals can lead to cases being reopened and may result in a conviction.