As Mr Hinds and his wife approached the town hall someone said, "That's your man, Peter," shortly before Findlay punched Mr Hinds and knocked him to the ground.
Findlay then tried to strike Mr Hinds a second time as he lay on the ground but Mr Hinds caught his arm before he could land his blow.
He later told police he had punched the former Environment Waikato councillor because of "something that had occurred in the past".
But when the Herald tried to ask Findlay what that was, the blunt reply from a woman understood to be his wife was: "F*** off."
Defence lawyer Michael Curtis said Findlay acknowledged his actions were completely wrong, but said they could have been spurred by the death of some pig-hunting dogs on public land because of 1080.
Judge Geoghegan said he was disturbed by Findlay's "quite concerning record of violence" and noted that he had appeared before the courts before.
He declined to sentence him but instead ordered a pre-sentence report. Findlay is to reappear in court on October 21.
Findlay, who is a member of Thames Landcare, made a submission to Parliament on the misuse of 1080 on the Coromandel in 2008.
He spoke to the Herald on Sunday that year after his pet dog died a "horrible, slow death" in his arms after 1080 was laid on a neighbouring property without warning.
He said at the time that he did not know it was 1080 that killed his 2-year-old pedigree rottweiler as neither he nor his neighbours had been warned that the Department of Conservation and Environment Waikato were laying the poison.
Findlay said his dog had eaten a possum that had died from the nearby 1080 and tests of its vomit came back positive for the poison.
"I had no idea it had even been laid."
Findlay hid his head in his jersey as he was led out of the court by the woman.
