Heroin dealer who sickened veterans with Cenotaph demo is among Insulate ...

A heroin dealer who sickened veterans with a demonstration at the Cenotaph, a vicar 'told to protest by God' and a teacher married to an ex-BBC bigwig are among the Insulate Britain protesters crippling the UK's motorways, it was revealed tonight.

Former soldier Donald Bell, one of the eco warrior zealots who joined the campaign group outside the Home Office today, has a criminal past and was exposed last year by MailOnline for allegedly abusing his disabled wife.

The 65-year-old was also condemned by war heroes last year when he staged a climate change protest in support of Extinction Rebellion at the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance Day on November 11.

He was pictured in military fatigues as he walked over official tribute wreaths to plant his own one on the monument, emblazoned with red and white poppies and the message 'Act Now – Climate Change Means War'.

MailOnline later revealed how he was jailed for four years in 2007 after being caught pushing his wheelchair-bound wife around the streets of Cambridge while peddling heroin at the same time.

It comes as the backgrounds of a number of his fellow Insulate Britain demonstrators were revealed tonight, including teacher Louise Lancaster, who is married to a former BBC technology director, and retired vicar Mark Coleman.

Cambridge Crown Court heard how Bell hid drugs under his late wife Heather's blanket and tried to sell wraps of heroin to undercover police officers.

A separate hearing in 2008, when Mrs Bell was sentenced, heard that she was a victim of domestic violence and had claimed she had been sucked into drug-dealing by her ex-husband in return for his care for her.

Duncan O'Donnell, for the prosecution, told the court: 'It would appear the modus operandi was that Heather Bell would store the heroin to be supplied underneath her blanket.'

Mrs Bell, who had been living in a hostel in Cambridge, admitted three charges of involvement in the sale of drugs to test purchase officers in the city centre in the summer of 2007.

Passing a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, along with probation supervision, Judge Gareth Hawkesworth, told her: 'If you had been in good health you would have been going to prison for three years.'

The court heard how Mrs Bell had answered some of the phone calls when the undercover police put in orders for heroin as part of a sting operation and was using the drug herself. She is understood to have died several years ago.

Bell was back to his climate change antics today when he joined around 60 other protesters in a demonstration outside the Home Office after the Government successfully obtained a High Court injunction banning any further Insulate Britain protests on the M25.

The bearded veteran was photographed wearing an orange hi-viz jacket and holding up a placard reading: 'Donald Bell Archaeologist * Insulate Britain'.

One of Bell's relatives who asked not to be named described him last year as a long-term cannabis user, who 'has brought shame on the family'.

The relative who asked not to be named said: 'He and his wife Heather were always smoking weed, long before she was consigned to a wheelchair with rheumatoid arthritis.

'Personally, I think the drugs fried his brain. None of the family agrees with his XR antics, but at least these days I think he's managed to kick the drugs. None of us have much to do with him any more.'

Bell's relative added at the time: 'I don't think the bit about domestic abuse that was mentioned in court was true – I think that was Heather trying to paint herself as the victim, as they were both heavily into drugs long before she got ill.'

Bell who survived a car bomb in Northern Ireland in 1974, staged his Cenotaph protest alongside Buddhist nurse and mother-of-two Anne White, 53, who was dressed in her NHS uniform.

He claimed afterwards that he wanted to highlight how climate change could cause more wars.

Bell said: 'I took action knowing that I would be criticised. I knew that I would be accused of being disrespectful and hated by many for speaking out in this way.'

When MailOnline approached him about his past use of drugs, he simply said: 'I've said what I wanted to say already'' and closed the door of his Cambridge council flat.

His protest at the Cenotaph sparked fury among veterans who accused him of disrespecting Britain's official memorial for all those who have fallen in conflicts.

The widow of a British soldier killed by the IRA bomb which injured Bell that she wanted to give Extinction Rebellion protesters a 'punch on the nose' for desecrating the Cenotaph.

Dianne Rose, 74, added she would give Bell a 'mouthful of abuse' if she ever met him.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: 'I don't know what gave Bell the right to do what he did. It was totally, totally wrong.

Earlier, he was also was heavily criticised by a war hero when they both appeared on Good Morning Britain.

Ben McBean, a double amputee who fought in the Afghanistan war, said he supported the move to a more sustainable future, but had harsh words for the methods deployed by XR at their Cenotaph protest.

He said: 'Tip-toeing across poppies in your big size 10 feet to put up a wreath to talk about bl***y climate change, and so on and so forth, starting a war, that's nonsense!

'These guys who died a hundred years ago fighting, running towards bullets like I did myself with my colleagues, it wasn't for climate change.

'It was to save the country, save the world but trust me, it wasn't for you to do what you did on Remembrance Day.'

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister also condemned the Cenotaph protest last year, saying: 'The Cenotaph is a memorial to those who fought and died to preserve all our freedoms.

'On today, of all days, when we join together to pay tribute to our war dead, this action was profoundly disrespectful.'

XR said in a statement: 'Donald Bell left the army with serious Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at a time when the illness was still not fully recognised.

'Donald was one of those people who, like so many, made mistakes and then worked hard to turn his life around.

'Extinction Rebellion stands by him and his right to speak out about the Government's complicity in knowingly taking us into future wars and a 4 degree world.'

It comes as the backgrounds of a number of Bell's fellow Insulate Britain demonstrators were revealed tonight. 

Among them is Mark Coleman, a retired reverend and repeat eco-protester who stepped down as vicar and borough dean of Rochdale last year.

The 61-year-old is one of four vicars to have taken part in protests by Insulate Britain - a splinter group of Extinction Rebellion.

Mr Coleman, who is said to have joined climate change group Extinction Rebellion in 2015 after the Rochdale floods, has been spotted at three protests.

He was seen at the first, on Monday 13, before returning to protest on Wednesday, 15.

Mr Coleman, who made headlines earlier this year when he vandalised Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson's constituency office staging a two-hour sit in, was also involved in yesterday's Insulate Britain protest at junction 10.

One former parishioner told MailOnline that Mr Coleman, a father-of-two, believed he was 'acting on God's will' by protesting. 

Speaking of her former vicar, she said: 'He used to say it was God's will for him to help save the planet, and it was up to us all to do our bit. I knew he was serious about saving the planet but have not seen him since he retired.'

Another activist spotted at multiple protests over the last week-and-a-half is Louise Lancaster. The 55-year-old from Cambridge describes herself as 'a mother, a teacher, a world citizen', who is 'ready to step up for our planet and social justice'. She is married to Tim, a former technology director at the BBC.

Meanwhile, brickie Joshua Smith was branded a hypocrite after it emerged he owned a multi-million pound property empire - but the homes had poor insulation, an issue at the heart of the group's agenda.

The 28-year-old is heir to a £2million property empire and also has a seven-figure portfolio of his own. However, at least six homes owned by his Oldham-based company have efficiency ratings of E or F, according to the Sun.

This means the properties boast little or no insulation and also produce large quantities of extra carbon dioxide.  

Another activist, Louis McKechnie, a 20-year-old mechanical engineering student from Weymouth, has been seen at other protests across the country in the recent past.

This included one in Poole, Dorset in May, where he sat in the road wearing a sign reading: 'I'm terrified to have children because of the climate crisis.'

He has been joined on the motorways by Oxford graduate and musician Mr Onley, who has worked as an English teacher at four schools, including educating a large group of Pakistani youngsters. 

Originally from Exmouth, Devon, he regularly shares details of demonstrations and rallies and is a member of environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth.

Also present has been IT project manager and bike instructor Janine Eagling, who describes herself as a 'world citizen, rebel, cyclist, walker, gardener, resourceful.' 

The 50-year-old has owned a consultancy firm, now registered in Walthamstow, north London, since 2014.

London-based yoga teacher Stefania Morosi is another of the campaigners whose backgrounds have emerged this evening. 

The 43-year-old, who previously studied in Italy and Sweden, describes herself as a 'tight rope acrobat, Etymology enthusiast, self proclaimed Poet and Activist'.

Elsewhere, retired doctor and portrait painter, Bing Jones, from Sheffield, has insisted he is 'willing to go to prison' for the cause after being arrested four times in the space of just eight days during the protests. 

The details have emerged after the eco-zealots today thwarted an injunction that could see them chucked in jail by descending on the Home Office.

Activists descended on the government building in Marsham Street, central London, where they blocked the road, lit a fire and burned documents including their bail release papers – acts that dodge the court order which only covers the M25.  

The group, including many who have been seen at multiple demos in the last week, sat brandishing homemade signs with messages such as: 'Please act now.'

Others brazenly gave their names and jobs as Xavier Gonzalez, a trimmer, Janine Eagling, a bike instructor, and Stefania Morosi, a yoga teacher.

It comes after Grant Shapps revealed a judge granted the injunction last night following a week of chaos on major highways.

The Transport Secretary said the anarchists will face contempt of court and potentially be locked up if they continue their antics.

Home Secretary Priti Patel hailed the 'important' move and said it will mean 'people can get moving' on the busy road again.

Mr Shapps and Ms Patel had earlier vowed to crack down on the Extinction Rebellion splinter group and were said to be 'furious' at the protesters.

But the limited scope of the injunction was quickly realised by the eco-warriors as they simply moved to other roads the order does not cover.

A spokesman for the group said: 'We have to move quickly. What we do, I believe, in the next three to four years will determine the future of humanity.

'For ten days now, campaigners from Insulate Britain have been blocking motorways to urge our government to make a meaningful statement we can all trust on insulating and retrofitting the houses of this country.

'Doing anything less would be a betrayal of any UK government's first duty: to protect the British people. We urge you to ensure this meaningful statement is made swiftly so ordinary people can stop blocking roads.

'But, if you believe, as you say, that our acts are outrageous and illegal, and if you believe there is no right of necessity for citizens to cause disruption to prevent the infinitely greater threat of destruction to our economy and way of life, then you have a duty to act decisively.

'The offence of creating a public nuisance is already there to be used, you didn't need an injunction. Take us to court, charge us, and put us in prison.'

He added: 'Alternatively, if you think we have a case, you have a responsibility to the country to at least meet and talk with us.

'And you will find we are entirely reasonable in our demands which will save the lives of 8500 from fuel poverty this winter. We want to stop the roadblocks as much as you.

'The climate crisis is the biggest threat to Britain in its long history. It requires decisive action. The country is waiting to see if you have what it takes.' 

Announcing the injunction via Twitter this morning, Mr Shapps said: 'Invading a motorway is reckless and puts lives at risk.

'I asked National Highways to seek an injunction against M25 protestors which a judge granted last night. Effective later today, activists will face contempt of court with possible imprisonment if they flout.'

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the 'important injunction' would mean 'people can get moving again' on the M25. She added: 'We will not tolerate lives being put at risk. Those who continue to do so risk imprisonment.'

But Insulate Britain indicated that they will continue blocking the M25 despite the injunction. It said in a statement earlier today that 'right now our campaign goes on'.

The two Cabinet ministers last night vowed to get tough with the protesters, revealing in the Daily Mail they had instructed officials to sought the injunction.

Home Secretary Miss Patel and Transport Secretary Mr Shapps condemned the 'arrogant' protesters and promised decisive action to stop them.

The injunction was requested by National Highways in the High Court. It means protesters will face arrest and a potential instant jail term for contempt of court. The legal case is likely to focus on the danger to road users.

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