heavily charged

Are you asking if it should be:

charged lightly

or

lightly charged

I would have said "heavily charged", meaning, to the full extent of the law.

The girl who shouted "A bomb! A bomb! Run for your life1" should
be charged heavily, as her prank had caused much inconvenience to every passenger.

I think in this sentence, it should be charged heavily, only because of the clause that followed. And a comma added after the word heavily, too.

The word "charged" is the wrong one to use. If a person is made by a court to pay money as a punishment, they are "fined", not charged.

The word "charged" is the wrong one to use. If a person is made by a court to pay money as a punishment, they are "fined", not charged.

What if the offender is jailed? Is the original term applicable?

Many thanks.

No. I think you do not understand the use of the verb "charge".

Suppose I steal your money. You tell the police. They may arrest me, and charge me with (accuse me of) theft. Not heavily or lightly or anything else. Later I go to court, where I am found guilty or not guilty. If I am found guilty, I am punished perhaps by being fined (lightly or heavily) or jailed (for a short or long time).

Quick fix:

The girl who shouted "A bomb! A bomb! Run for your life!" should
be prosecuted, as her prank caused much inconvenience to every passenger.

I would also leave out "had".

Re: heavily charged


It's understandable but it's not idiomatic, IMNotW, T.

"prosecuted to the full extent of the law" is one collocation heard to describe this situation. There may well be others.

"Taught a lesson she won't forget in a hurry," is my idea.