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@sorethroat
Idiot, cretin and moron have become so ingrained in the English language as synonyms of fool or stupid person that the OED defines them as such. I think with words like those you can grant someone a bye because only in the nitpickers eyes are they seen as offensive to the mentally and physically disabled.
Belm however, especially when combined with the tongue sucking/clicking, is referring to a specific man with a specific disorder. A quick read through a few forums and websites seems to show that the word does indeed stem from Joey Deacon's ill fated Blue Peter appearance.
Google 'Joey Deacon belm', I'm pretty sure there's enough info there to convince even the most staunch belm supporters.