An undercover reporter was offered a 2,000-word law essay — later assessed as being of 2:1 standard — for £300. The names of the “essay banks” are being circulated at parties by students under increasing pressure to get good degrees.

Although plagiarism is a problem recognised by universities, a Sunday Times investigation found cheating to be more widespread and systematic than previously thought. Tutors admit commissioned papers are extremely difficult to detect.

The most successful companies — which are making thousands of pounds a year — produce more than 500 essays a week, costing from £80 to £800. One essay can account for as much of 10% of marks towards a final degree.

Law is predominantly targeted. One law tutor said he was being paid up to £10,000 a year on top of his salary by writing for undergraduates studying at universities including Newcastle, Durham and Bristol.

The Sunday Times inquiry began after a Newcastle sociology student admitted buying10 essays for £800 which, over three years, earned him a 2:2 degree. A reporter approached Law Essays and Tutors UK, a company run by Barclay Littlewood, 25, a law graduate. Its website boasts: “We are specialists in researching all aspects of academia tailored to your individual needs.” The firm’s price list ranges from £300 for an essay by a law graduate to £450 for one by a solicitor and £800 for one by a barrister delivered the same day.

After two days and payment of £420, the 2,000-word essay was delivered. It was independently assessed by a law professor at a leading university as of 2:1 standard.

For months Littlewood has been using university careers boards to recruit graduates who have at least a 2:1, offering to pay them for “research pieces” of 2,000 to 3,500 words.

Finsbury Law Tutors offered a similar service. Its boss, Dorit Chomer, who used to run a law publishing firm, charged £350 for an essay on company law that was judged to be of 2:2 standard by an independent professor. Chomer claimed to be producing 15 to 20 essays a week at present, but that rose to 500 during peak periods.

She said: “The more complaints about us the more hits we get (on the website). We are all prostituted to something; it is not my problem. If you buy a gun in a shop, what you do with it is your business.”

As well as using internet companies, students also rely on informal networks of specialists. One London-based part-time law tutor said he had written essays for students at most top universities including Newcastle, Durham, Bristol and Exeter.

He said: “The dons don’t seem to notice. If an undergraduate can afford it, I don’t see why they shouldn’t. It is usually bright students who like to spend a lot of time playing. Our names and numbers get passed around at parties.”

One 21-year-old law graduate, with a first-class degree from a Midlands university, admitted buying essays and said: “Nobody wants to talk about this. It is common where students are under pressure.”

Senior dons privately admit students plagiarise, but say customised essays are almost impossible to detect. On many law courses essays account for up to half of the degree marks.

One head of a law department said: “Law is vulnerable because all students cover core areas. It is impossible to monitor because it would just take too long to track it down. Students are under pressure to get a 2:1 because that means big bucks.”

Colin Rickwood, Birmingham University’s pro-vice- chancellor, said universities picked up most plagiarism, but added: “We would not claim to police it 100%.”

Companies offering essays insist they are selling research to students and the papers are not meant to be reproduced word for word in course work. Both Chomer and Littlewood have disclaimers on their websites saying the essays they provide should not be passed off as the work of the purchasers.

But Chomer told the undercover reporter: “Change it a little and then send it back and I will tell you if it still flows.”

Littlewood said: “It would be the biggest cheat in the book to hand it (the essay) in as your own work. If you tell us it’s for research purposes we are happy and we’ll supply it as soon as you need it.”

When approached by The Sunday Times last week Littlewood, whose business is expanding overseas, said it was difficult to prevent students ordering work and passing it off as their own.

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